Eastern Visayas cops brace for school-based anti-drug education

TACLOBAN CITY, June 12 -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here has been raising funds to support the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) in Eastern Visayas.

This after the PNP completed the training of police officers who will conduct lessons to Grade 5 and 6 pupils at least once a week starting this school year.

On Saturday, the police regional office Eastern Visayas Officers Ladies Club led by Evangeline Beltejar, wife of Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar held a shootfest competition dubbed as “Shoot for D.A.R.E.”

Beltejar said there were 129 registered participants from PNP and civilian gun enthusiasts. The proceeds will go to D.A.R.E. program.

Police Officer 1 Joan Enggay, won in the first Ladies Club Shootfest competition. She is assigned at the Samar Provincial Police Public Safety Company. The activity was held at the Leysa firing range, Kuta Kankabatok, San Jose village, Tacloban City.

Beltejar said they have been preparing the program to help children stay away from illegal drug use.

“The instructional guide for D.A.R.E. has been developed to assist police officers, school administrators and teachers in planning and in the implementation of the program,” he added.

The rest of the week, other suggested activities will be handled by classroom teachers to discourage students not to use drugs and violence.

The program content is organized into 17 hour-long lesson to be conducted by a uniformed police officer and suggested extended activities to be taught by the regular classroom teacher. (Vicky C. Arnaiz/PNA)