GLOBALIZATION BLAMED FOR PINOY KIDS' INVOLVEMENT IN DRUGS TRADE

Alarmed, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has blamed the impact of
globalization for the growing number of Filipino children involved in the
illegal drugs trade.

"Drug use is often the stepping stone to children's greater involvement in
selling, distribution and production of (illegal) drugs. There is also a
link between drug use and the other worst forms of child labor. Children
engaged in prostitution, pornography, working in the streets, involved in
deep-sea fishing and those in the construction sector are examples of their
vulnerability to drug use," ILO chief Werner Blenk said.

In yesterday's conference on children in drugs, Blenk said many countries
looked into the illegal drugs problem "individually" without delving into
the aspect of children's involvement either as victims or channels.

Globalization, according to the ILO chief, has added to the worsening
problem of illegal drugs trade since shipment can easily be made from one
place to another.

"There is a clear indication that the present process of globalization has
gone wrong. The ILO will look more clearly on the impact of globalization,"
Blenk assured.

A study titled "Working Children in Drugs in the Philippines" showed many
Filipino children inititated into drug use were lured by people close to
them.

The study, conducted by the Ateneo de Manila University and some
cause-oriented groups, indicated many children users started younger (12-15
years old) this year than in 1999 when teens whose ages ranged between 15
and 17 had been involved.

Metamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, remains as the most commonly used
drug with younger children starting to be involved, not only as users in the
trade, but also as couriers since they appear less suspicious before
government authorities.

Aside from delivering illegal drugs, young children are also being used as
watchers and pushers, the study also showed.

Over the years, the transport and distribution of illegal drugs have changed
from shipment via coastlines and insertion through mails and furniture to
misdeclaring of cargos.

This year alone, the Philippines was ranked third by the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime as the top producer of shabu worldwide.

Earlier, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency revealed there are 175 drug
syndicates operating in the country with 45,000 pushers.

In 1999, 14 percent of the country's over 42,000 barangays were considered
the most seriously affected areas by the illegal drugs problem. This,
however, plunged to 8 percent in 2002.

Last year, it was estimated that one-fourth of the country's elected
officials has benefited from the illegal drugs trade.

Delegates from Social Welfare department admitted that the Philippines lacks
drug rehabilitation centers. The few such centers the country has, they
said, consider children in the drugs trade as criminals, not as minor
offenders.