DepEd underscores role of youth in drug prevention

Education Secretary Leonor Briones highlighted the important role of the Filipino youth when it comes to drug prevention.
While the Department of Education (DepEd) is working on new methods in drug prevention education, Briones said that the department believes that the “youth can effectively participate by identifying the needs and possibilities for the prevention in their communities.”
In this year’s United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Youth Forum, three Filipino learners also shared school and community perspectives on preventive drug education.
The Youth Forum, an annual event organized by the UNODC Youth Initiative in the broader context of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), gathered young people nominated by the Member States and active in the field of drug use prevention, health promotion, and youth empowerment from around the world.
Grade 12 students Lara Victoria C. De Guzman of Francisco E. Barzaga Integrated High School, Division of Dasmariñas City; John Edward E. Sabeniano of Supang-Datag National High School, Division of Catanduanes; and Annika A. Elinzano of Mangatarem National High School, Division of Pangasinan I noted their viewpoints in promoting drug prevention education efforts.

Sabeniano emphasized that the forum has “empowered us to bring positive outcomes in areas such as mental health and valuing physical health that has a big role in producing a better community.”
Meanwhile, Elinzano said the community should focus more on developing the individual, not the drug --- noting that “we can change and improve our initiatives that focus more on an evidence-based approach.”
De Guzman also shared that said that as “Barkada Kontra Droga” president in her school, she will integrate everything that “I’ve learned and transform it into doable programs to reach out to those who are in dire need of help in my community.”
This year’s online forum brought together around 75 young leaders to learn about evidence-based drug use prevention, discuss various perspectives on the world drug problem, and be empowered to continue the action.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly emphasized that while the young are among the most vulnerable and the most affected by drug use, their passion and modern views are better than anyone else in achieving true and lasting change in communities.
“Your engagement will be essential in raising awareness, changing attitudes, and developing solutions,” Waly told the participants.