Mandatory drug-testing

By Bebot Villar

 

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Cagayan Valley proposes to make the drug testing a requirement for the incoming college students.  Under the proposal, a student will not be allowed to enroll if he/she has no clearance from PDEA.

According to Atty. Sherwin Closa, PDEA Cagayan Valley director, a PDEA-clearance ang titiyak na ang mga batang papasok sa college in all colleges ay drug-free. It sounds good, pero siyempre, kailangan munang maisabatas ng Kongreso ang panukalang ito bago maipatupad.  Let us also ask the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for its support.

We at the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) support all undertakings that we know will help protect our youth from the dangers of illegal drugs. In fact, I still believe that the death penalty for convicted drug traffickers is one of the best solutions to stop the illegal drug trade here.

Since life sentence lang ang ating capital punishment, drug traffickers are so bold dahil alam nilang kapag nahuli sila, hindi sila bibitayin. And because of this, they easily establish clandestine laboratories anywhere in the country. Kahit nga sa parking area ng isang condo nai-co-convert nila into a clandestine lab!

By requiring drug testing at least sa incoming college students, PDEA believes mababawasan ang market ng mga nagtutulak ng illegal drugs. This and with the support of the community to the intensive campaign against illegal drugs, tuluyan nang hindi maging profitable ang illegal drug trade.

But still, I must stress that parents play a very important role to help keep the youth away from drugs. Dito nagiging mahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng mga bonding activities with children upang maging palagay sila at masabi agad if they have problems, Normally, they share their problems with friends and not their parents.

These bonding activities could be eating meals together, watching TV or movies, going to church. These bonding moments, will encourage kids to freely talk and the parents will have the chance to give advice. Parents should always be available to their children and we call this – giving quality time.

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Speaking of bonding, one great bonding activity for the family is the Visita Iglesia this coming Holy Week.  Families visit different churches during this time to pray and recall the passion of Jesus Christ.

Aside from its religious significance, Visita Iglesia is an opportune time for all the members of the family to talk, share jokes, and converse on way to churches. At hindi naman ito magastos dahil puwede kayong magbaon ng pagkain at mag-picnic na lamang habang nasa daan.

It is also educational for students. They will see the different churches and learn the stories about them. It is also a chance to re-visit hometowns, learn their history and rich culture. No boring moment pag kasama ang buong pamilya! Sa pagtatapos ng biyahe, tiyak, may magtatanong kung kailan ulit ang susunod na pamamasyal ng buong pamilya.

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Nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat ng hindi nakalilimot at nakaalalang bumati sa aking kaarawan last March 24, maraming-maraming salamat po!

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