Dr. Gonzales Urges Stronger Anti-Drug Campaigns
in State Universities and Colleges
by: Rey-Luis Banagudos, Public Affairs Office
Posted: August 12, 2004

      The President of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) has called on its member institutions throughout the country to beef up their anti-drug abuse programs.

      In a circular issued last week, PASUC President Dr. Eldigario Gonzales said that although the incidence of druge abus is "not prevalent in Stat universities and colleges for reason of economic status of the studentry and strict curriculum requirements, it is believed that precautionary and preventive measures should be adopted in line with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's relentless anti-drug abuse campaign.

      In his statement, Dr. Gonzales enumerated several anti-drug abuse measures which the State universities and colleges (SUCs) can implement in accordance to a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) memorandum issued last year. Among the measures is to "Continue updating and enriching the integration of dangerous drug prevention concerns in the general education components of all higher education course offerings, as well as in the professional subjects particularly that of teacher education."

       Other measures are the "development of instructional materials...as part of teacher education curricula," conduct of symposia, debates, plays, essay writing contests in coordination with student council and legitimate campus organizations, "participation in dangerous drug prevention programs and activities initiated by government and non-government organizations," promotion of information dissemination and awareness programs or advocacies, and training for school heads, supervisors and teachers to "apprehend, arrest or cause such action, with sanctions imposed for non-compliance or disciplinary action by the school authorities."

       Moreover, Dr. Gonzales suggested that some suspect students may be asked to undergo an "immunoassay test" to determine any use of prohibited substance.

       In the same memorandum, he also said that "use of cell phones during classes and official functions among students and officials of the academic community should be discouraged."

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