President Duterte invited to grace the event
The city government through the New Beginnings Program has made headway in its anti-drug initiatives.
TACLOBAN CITY-As part of its commitment to the national anti-drug campaign, a gathering of all anti-drug stakeholders will take place in this city on September 21 spearheaded by the city government under Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez.
President Rodrigo Duterte and Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial have been invited to attend the morning gathering to be held at the Tacloban Convention Center.
Dr. Gloria Fabrigas, head of the New Beginnings Program, said that the event dubbed “New Beginnings for Change Summit,” will gather all sectors in the city to include the business sector, civil society organizations, barangays and various schools.
The New Beginnings Program is an initiative of Mayor Romualdez which has now become a flagship program under the Caring, Giving and Reaching out (CGR) Program which serves as the substance abuse prevention, control, rehabilitation, and recovery program of the city government.
Among the activities planned for the half-day event with theme, “Pagkaurusa para han Pagbag-o Kontra Iligal na Droga, Kriminalidad, Korapsyon, ngan Terorismo,” is a poster and jingle making competition for elementary and high school students.
A film-making competition will also be held for college students; pre-screening of entries will be done by the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education.
The event will also feature booths that will be put up by the participating stakeholders.
A recognition activity for the drug-cleared barangays is also set to be held on that day while those who completed the city drug rehabilitation program will be given recognition.
The city government through the New Beginnings Program has made headway in its anti-drug initiatives.
Recently, Advocates of the New Beginning program were made beneficiaries of free training on organic farming by the SM Foundation as part of their After Care Program.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office, meanwhile, handed out financial assistance to the drug surrenderees.
Fabregas said that the assessment and screening of drug surrenderees are continuously being done in the barangays.
The event is in cooperation with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police, Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among other stakeholders.
(HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO)
