TAGAYTAY CITY – Former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson wants the Philippine National Police (PNP) to play not just the role of enforcers against illegal drugs, but also “teachers” in keeping youths away from the menace.
Speaking at a seminar on the drug menace here Tuesday, Lacson said this is similar to the Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Education (PhilDARE) program he undertook as PNP Chief during the Estrada administration.
“We can train our police to work closer with the community, teachers and schools. They can explain to our youths the whys and hows of staying away from illegal drugs,” Lacson said in Filipino.
Related: Ping Lacson, Isinulong ang Papel na ‘Guro’ para sa mga Pulis vs Droga
In the 1990s, the Philippines adopted the Los Angeles Police Department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) – an education program that sought to prevent drug use among youths – as Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Program (PhilDARE).
Lacson said PhilDARE played a key role in the government’s two-pronged strategy of demand reduction and supply reduction against illegal drugs – while law enforcers continued to go after drug dealers as part of supply reduction, PhilDARE taught youths to stay away from drugs, thus reducing demand for it.
Officers from the LAPD were invited to train their PNP counterparts for PhilDARE, to work with schools and the community.
The training involved preventive education, or teaching youths up to high school to avoid drugs by showing them the ill effects of drugs. It also involved behavioral skills development, teaching youths to resist peer pressure to try illegal drugs.
“The results were very good. Our teacher-policemen became closer to the youths,” Lacson said.
“Our police personnel grew closer to the community and our youths, and our youths learned to stay away from drugs,” he added.
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Ping Lacson, Isinulong ang Papel na ‘Guro’ para sa mga Pulis vs Droga
TAGAYTAY CITY – Isinulong ni dating Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang dobleng papel para sa Philippine National Police (PNP) laban sa iligal na droga: gabay ng kabataan at tagapagpatupad ng batas.
Sa isang seminar tungkol sa banta ng iligal na droga nitong Martes, iginiit ni Lacson na ito ay tulad ng Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Education (PhilDARE) na pinatupad niya bilang PNP Chief noong administrasyong Estrada.
“Pwedeng turuan ang ating mga pulis na makiisa sa komunidad, guro at paaralan, kung saan sila magpapaliwanag sa bata na iwasan ang droga at kung paano makakaiwas,” ani Lacson.
Noong dekada 1990, in-adopt ng Pilipinas ang Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) ng Los Angeles Police Department – isang education program na may layuning pigilan ang kabataan sa paggamit ng droga – bilang Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Program (PhilDARE).
Ani Lacson, malaki ang papel ng PhilDARE sa two-pronged strategy ng demand reduction at supply reduction laban sa iligal na droga. Habang patuloy ang law enforcement operation laban sa drug dealers para sa supply reduction, tinuturuan ng PhilDARE ang kabataan na umiwas sa droga, para sa demand reduction.
Inimbita ang opisyal ng LAPD na sanayin ang mga taga-PNP na lalahok sa PhilDARE, para makatrabaho ang paaralan at komunidad.
Kabilang sa training ang preventive education, o pagturo sa mga kabataan hanggang high school na umiwas sa droga sa pamamagitan ng pagpakita sa kanila ng masamang epekto ng droga. Kabilang din ang behavioral skills development o ang pagturo sa kabataan na labanan ang “peer pressure” para gumamit ng droga.
“Yan ang tinuro at napakaganda ng resulta. Kasi ang mga pulis natin mismo at mga guro, nag-collaborate sila sa guro ng iskwelahan. Pinapasok sila sa classroom at ang mga kabataan napapalapit sa pulis,” ani Lacson.
“Napapalapit ang pulis sa komunidad, tapos sa mga bata, at the same time natututo ang ating mga kabataan,” dagdag niya.
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