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Ilocos police partners with NGO in war vs. illegal drugs

By Hilda Austria

January 11, 2023, 7:03 pm

<p>Facade of the Ilocos police regional office headquarters in La Union. <em>(PNA file photo courtesy of PRO-1)</em></p>

Facade of the Ilocos police regional office headquarters in La Union. (PNA file photo courtesy of PRO-1)

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Ilocos Police Regional Office (PRO-1) has partnered with the Battle Against Drugs (BAD), a non-government organization (NGO), in its campaign against illegal drugs specifically targeting young people in the region.
 
In a statement issued on Wednesday, PRO-1 information officer, Capt. Karol Elizabeth Baloco, said the partnership aims to put an end to the drug menace that has been hindering the country's growth.
 
“The Philippine National Police and the BAD will join hands in exposing the evil effects of illegal drugs in the country through conducting training, symposiums and seminars in different public and private schools down to the grassroots level of the community in collaboration with various government agencies and stakeholders,” she said.
 
Ilocos region police director, Brig. Gen. John Chua, said this is to empower the police, the church and the community together in a common aspiration to defeat illegal drugs.
 
In his message during the launching of the partnership on Tuesday, BAD founder and president Dr. Danilo Bornales said they were on the demand-reduction side in the war against illegal drugs.
 
“Eighty percent of the consumers are in schools and the 20 percent are the people outside, we really need to reduce the demand. We have to discourage them through drug-symposium(s) and seminars,” he said.
 
Bornales said their group is founded on volunteerism and is more on internal cleansing within the schools.
 
Ang inaasam asam ay reward ng Diyos dahil ito ay God-centered and soul-centered (The reward we aim is from God because this (program) is God-centered and soul-centered),” he added.
 
Bornales said the involved pastors and other faith leaders will be supported solely by their churches as they join in the program.
 
“It’s more on internal cleansing and hopefully, the local government units (LGUs) will be able to join too,” he said.
 
He added the fight against illegal drugs should be everybody’s business.
 
BAD is an NGO that conducts drug symposia in different schools and other areas of the community to address the distressing effects of dangerous drugs in the community.
 
Some 78 pastors and faith leaders as well as personnel of PRO-1 have signed the pledge of commitment. (PNA)
 

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