By Kate Shiene Agna
| ATCPDE Director Francis Grace Duka-Pante |
QUEZON CITY, Nov. 27 (PIA) -- ASEAN Training Center for Preventive Drug Education (ATCPDE), with funding support from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in cooperation with various national government agencies, conducted the ASEAN Conference on Global Prevention Practices and Interventions at the SEAMEO Innotech, Quezon City on November 27-29, 2019.
With the theme, “Drug Use Prevention in Various Contexts: Learnings and Possibilities,” the three (3)-day conference was attended by participants from various fields and professions in different ASEAN regions. Meanwhile, resource speakers were from the ASEAN Member states, Bhutan, Kenya, Colombo Plan, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Philippines.
As one of the pressing issues not just in the Philippines but all over the ASEAN region, the event was a very timely move for the ASEAN state representatives to share their best practices in combating illegal drugs on their respective countries.
Through its Dean, Dr. Jerome T. Buenviaje, University of the Philippines College of Education, which houses the ATCPDE, acknowledged the center’s effort in accelerating drug abuse prevention and control through education.
“ATCPDE has continued to advance the mission of a unified action for drug-free communities in the region,” Dr. Buenviaje said.
Meanwhile, Dangerous Drugs Board Executive Director Usec. Earl P. Saavedra reiterated the importance of reinforcing the prevention of drugs in the country.
“Preventive education plays an important role in the government’s Anti-Illegal Drugs strategy in a holistic and balance approach in addressing (our) domestic drug problems. We believe that demand reduction efforts are equally important as supply reduction initiatives,” he said.
| Sample information, education, and communication materials from different ASEAN Member States |
Furthermore, ATCPDE Director Francis Grace Duka-Pante highlighted major programs and policies on prevention interventions tagged as best practices of ASEAN Member States (AMS) for implementation on their respective countries. These interventions are being implemented in five (5) specific settings such as family, school, workplace, media, and the community. A research study was also presented focusing on these interventions.
“We need to build the capacity of the prevention professionals at the same time intensify our research efforts in the region”, she stressed.
Sample information, education, and communication materials from different AMS were displayed during the conference. (KSBA | PIA-CENTRAL)
ONE REGION, ONE ASEAN by Philippine Information Agency on Exposure
ATCPDE 2019 Photos |
| ASEAN Conference on Global Prevention Practices and Interventions held at the SEAMEO Innotech, Quezon City on November 27-29, 2019 was a very timely move for the ASEAN Training Center for Preventive Drug Education to gather ASEAN Member State representatives to share their best practices in combating illegal drugs since it is one of the pressing problems not just in the Philippines but all over the ASEAN region. Learn more from the ten (10) ASEAN Member States as well as other resource persons from Bhutan, Kenya and Colombo Plan. #WeAreOneASEAN |