By Chito Chavez
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday officially launched its second animated video that will assist the agency in its anti-narcotics drive to encourage the youth to avoid illegal drug use.
The official launching of the animated video was held at the Quezon City Experience (QCX) Museum at the Quezon Memorial Circle.
President Duterte and Sen. Manny Pacquiao delivered messages about the perils of illegal drug use.
Among those who attended the event were Regional Director Joel Plaza, PDEA Regional Office-National Capital Region (RO-NCR) representing PDEA Director-General Aaron N. Aquino; Brandon Hudspeth, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) director, U.S. Embassy; Quezon City Mayor Josefina “Joy” G. Belmonte, and actor JM de Guzman.
The animated video entitled “Tara Na, Kaibigan (Let’s Go, Friend)”, is a collaborative project of PDEA, INL, the U.S. Embassy, and Activations Advertising, Inc. (AAI), in cooperation with the Quezon City government.
The video features a young man who comes across two teenagers. One teenager was buying illegal drugs from a drug dealer while the other was getting drug offers from strangers.
The main character persuades the two youngsters to join him in devoting their time to life aspirations and striving to secure a better future instead of getting involved in drug use.
The anti-drug advocacy material can be viewed on various forms of mass media including television, billboards, and social media.
Among the highlights of the event was a flash mob dance that got everyone, including high school students, swaying to the beat of the music playing in the background.
“Cheerful and upbeat music typifies the scoring of the video, to make it more appealing to specific audiences like Generation Z, or individuals born from 1995 onwards. Around 40 percent of the total Philippine population comprises this demographic group known to be the most vulnerable to initial stages of drug addiction,” Aquino noted.
“For this reason alone, PDEA placed emphasis on connecting with Generation Z, in order for the latter to avoid illegal drugs, and realize their full potential and become contributing members of society.”
The first PDEA animated anti-drug video was launched on Nov. 29, 2018, and made its rounds in schools, with the shorter version enjoying exposure before every movie in cinemas nationwide.
“The delivery of the drug prevention campaign to targeted audiences is through their preferred media - the right material for the right people. This is the strategic way of sending tailored messages across to the next generation,” Aquino said.