The program which is initiated by the office of Vice Mayor Attorney Jay Melchor Quitain in collaboration with the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) aims to produce a pool of youth leaders who are equipped with the requisite life skills in drug abuse prevention education which will enable them to influence and train others within their circles and communities.
According to Quitain this is actually the third partnership between his office and DDB.
The first partnership was in November 2016, participated by Barangay Captains and Kagawads in the city and Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS), while the second seminar was attended by several Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons in December 2022.
“ We already had this kind of collaboration with the Dangerous Drugs Board as early as 2016 when I was still a city councilor. I continuously communicate with them and there is a request if they could bring back the programs and projects in 2024,” Quitain said in an interview.
Quitain said DDB is the one expert in dealing with drug abuse prevention.
“Naay mga intricacies nga ordinary people do not know about so naa sila diri to lecture and to teach and empower the youth. Hopefully kung unsay matun-an sa mga kabataan diri, ang purpose ana para mukatag ug sila na poy mo spearhead ana sa mga schools, churches, and even other areas sa ilang barangay,” he said.
Quitain further said the drug prevention program is aiming towards a 100 percent drug free city.
“That is why we empower them. The generation after generation naa gihapon ang drugs. So we have to prepare for them. We should be responsible adults to prepare them also para sa sunod nga sila magkapamilya preparado pod sila unsaon pagtudlo sa ilang mga anak,” he said.
The activity is also in line with the Dabawenyo DCplinado campaign of Mayor Sebastian Duterte and aligned with Quitain’s advocacy on youth empowerment and public awareness.
“This is part of my public awareness campaign to talk about drug abuse and drug prevention,” he said.
“We will show to this drug pushers, drug syndicates and if they think the youth is the most vulnerable and they try to destroy the life of young children , we will prove them wrong that here in Davao City you cannot influence the youth, you might go elsewhere na lang,” Quitain stressed.
Apart from drug abuse prevention awareness campaigns, the vice mayor’s office is continuously conducting lectures in the barangays on waste management, health, diseases, and gender development.
DDB Executive Director Undersecretary Earl Saavedra in a video message said the youths play a crucial role in the drug prevention and education campaign.
“You will be our new set of trainers who will cascade the anti-drug messages to your sector and community. I am confident that you can ably perform such a crucial role,” Saavedra said.
“This program also builds your self esteem and helps you value your individuality as you pursue your goals and effectively communicate with others,” he said.
Saavedra said that with Quitain’s office, he underscores that the training will strengthen anti -drugs abuse education which will rule out in the different academic institutions in Davao City.
Barangay Buhangin proper youth leader and student of Bernardo Carpio National High School, Chester Jerome Oporto committed to share the lessons and learnings he got from the training to the other youth.
“It is important, especially that they really empower the youth because the youth is the hope of our nation. I think it is important to have these micro efforts so that we can have macro effects especially that drug abuse is prone to the youth mas okay gyud na ang youth ang i-empower for them also to empower other youth. We will be able to spread those learnings to the other schools or youth,” Oporto said.