NEW ANTI-DRUG DRIVE KICKS OFF

More than one million people are expected to participate in the Lakbay
Kontra Droga 2004, a seven-day caravan that kicks off today in 14
cities and towns all over the country, Interior and Local Government
Secretary Jose Lina Jr. said yesterday.

Lina, who also chairs the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), said the
caravan's overall objective is to further strengthen community
involvement in the fight against illegal drugs and fulfill President
Arroyo's vision of a drug-free Philippines by 2010.

The Office of the President, DDB, Department of the Interior and Local
Government, Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency, as well as local government units, are set to
participate in the caravan.

Lina identified the 14 cities and towns that will serve as the
caravan's "starting points" as Sorsogon City, Abra de Ilog in Mindoro
Occidental, Roxas City in Mindoro Oriental, Brooke's Point and Dumaran
in Palawan, San Jose in Antique, San Carlos City and Sipalay in Negros
Occidental, Guimaras, Tagbilaran City, Toledo City, Vallehermoso and
Basay in Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

He added that anti-drug symposia, slogan contests and film showings
will be held at these cities and towns. The Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse
Committees at these areas will also update their anti-drug watch lists.

Thirty-five other cities and municipalities nationwide will also serve
as stopovers and converging areas for the caravan. Other regions will
have the anti-drug caravan start on Feb. 17. A grand culminating
activity will be held on Feb. 22 at the Philippine International
Convention Center open field.

Lina said that households all over the country will be given flyers
and leaflets containing information on the ill effects of illegal
drugs during the seven-day caravan.

Government agencies and sectors participating in the caravan will also
undertake a signature campaign called Pirma Kontra Droga, wherein
people will affirm their commitment to help the government in its
campaign against illegal drugs.

Some 20,000 people, particularly those from the transport sector, will
also be beneficiaries of free drug testing during the caravan.

The government is also offering free rehabilitation to some 2,500 drug
dependents who voluntarily turn themselves in or are turned in by
their parents or relatives for rehabilitation.

Lina encouraged the public to actively participate in the activities
lined up during the seven-day caravan at the designated convergence
areas in their respective regions.

"This caravan shall emphasize the government's determined and resolute
campaign against illegal drugs and for the people to similarly
demonstrate their support for this crusade," he said.

Drug use among adolescents and young adults almost doubled, from six
percent who admitted using any form of illegal drugs in 1994 to 11
percent in 2002, according to the results of the 2002 Young Adult
Fertility and Sexuality Study conducted by the UP Population Institute
and the Demographic Research and Development Foundation.