Even students enrolled in secondary levels in the Philippine public education system have become part of the campaign of the Duterte administration to end the drug menace in the country.
The secondary students’ anti-illegal drug campaign called Barkada Kontra Droga (BKD) is being undertaken through a massive education, information dissemination and different activities to increase and widen the knowledge of the students on how illegal drugs could destroy the life, personality and future of students.
BKD is a project of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), policy-making body against the abuse of prohibited drugs.
Recently, DDB chairman, Secretary Catalino S. Cuy gave awards to five BKDs of different high schools that won in DDB’s Search for the Outstanding BKD Program.
Cuy awarded the BKD of the Agusan del Sur National High School as the number one in anti-illegal drugs program.
Tambulig National High School in Zamboanga del Sur got the second spot, while the Bangcud National High School in Bukidnon received the third-place award.
Cuy also recognized the Pototan National Comprehensive High School in Muntinlupa City and Cagayan National High School and given them consolation prizes.
The awarding ceremony was done at the DDB compound in Quezon City.
Cuy congratulated the winners, saying the “recognition is what you truly deserve. It is an achievement you truly earn.”
“On behalf of the Dangerous Drugs Board, I congratulate you on your victory and wish you all the best in your antidrug advocacy and endeavors,” he said.
DDB’s Media Affairs and Public Relations Unit Head Ella Marie L. Dimaculangan said “the competition was open to all secondary schools with organized and functional BKD chapters nationwide.”
“To qualify, chapters should have conducted a series of programs on preventive education and information dissemination, followed by the launching of alternative activities (i.e., poster/slogan contest, essay writing) in the school and in the community,” Dimaculangan said.
In a text message, Dimaculangan said that the “BKD is a project of the Dangerous Drugs Board designed as a preventive education and information program to counter the dangers and disastrous effects of the drug menace.”
BKD’s principal aim is “to empower the individual student to become the catalyst within his/her peer groups in advocating a healthy and drug-free lifestyle through the involvement in various activities,” she added.
BKD started in 2014 and was institutionalized through DDB Board Regulation 5, Series of 2007.
BKD has 344 chapters nationwide, with a total membership of 90,994.
The DDB’s Board Regulation 5 was in compliance with the Section 77, Article IX of Republic Act 9165, which is about the National Drug Education Program.
Having BKD, it is the high hope and concern of the DDB to help the country prevent high-school students in all parts in the country from involving themselves in drugs, including drug trafficking.
Information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) showed that there is a substantial number of the youth and children who were being used by drug syndicates as dealers and runners.
Some have been arrested, others were killed by police officers, while others continue to be part of the drug business.