Schools pledge support to city’s anti-drugs campaign
THE Department of Education (DepEd) and 20 private and public schools have pledged support to Dagupan City’s anti-illegal drugs campaign in a forum held at the city hall on Wednesday.
“We can never attain quality education if there are barriers,” School Division Superintendent Alma Ruby C. Torio said, identifying illegal drugs as among them.
Signatories to the pledge were Torio for DepEd; Erly Datario of Dagupan City National High School; and representatives from the College of St. Michael the Archangel, La Marea Academy, Divine Word Academy of Dagupan City, Living Lights Academy, Ednas School, Escuela Nuestra de La Sallette, Genesis School of Happy Kids Advance Study, Lyceum-Northwestern University, Mother Goose, Pangasinan Universal Institute, Francisco Q. Duque High School, Judge Jose De Venecia Memorial National High School, St. Albert the Great School, St. John School, University of Pangasinan, University of Luzon, Dominican School and Bonuan Boquig National High School.
The pledge lists two actvities, namely educational seminars and random testing of students for drug use.
Lemton Agricola, consultant to the campaign, said the city has already started conducting regular seminars at the Dagupan City National High School with rehabilitated drug users lecturing on the ill effects of drug use.
City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim called on other schools to conduct the seminars in their campuses.
“I alone cannot do this, I need everyone’s support,” Lim said during the signing.
The random testing for drug use will also be conducted among city government employees, the mayor said.
At the same time, Lim called on witnesses to report and help pursue cases against drug dealers so they can be prosecuted.
“More often than not, suspects are not prosecuted,” he said.
The intensified campaign against illegal drugs in Dagupan, which has since been tagged as hub of drug trading, will also include a rehabilitation program for users and helping them reintegrate to society.
Lim admitted that more than half of the crimes committed in the city are drug-related and if this is addressed, more investments could be expected to flow into Dagupan. (PIA-Pangasinan/ARF)
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