RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ANTI-DRUG MARCH SATURDAY

A WALK-cum-rally against illegal drugs will be held in the city Saturday
participated in by residents of all ages, who will be marching over the
city's hills and dales and then converge at the Burnham Park grounds.

With the theme "Martsa Laban sa Droga, Tayo's Sama-Sama," the mass action
is being organized by the Baguio City Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operation
Task Force, BCPO Director Francisco Manalo Jr. earlier said.

Manalo said the slogan-bearing rallyists composed of children, the youth,
parents, barangay officials and residents, religious, civic and government
agency representatives will start off from the nine police stations.

"This can be a major rallying point to drum up community awareness and
support to the nation-wide campaign against illegal drugs," he noted.

Mayor Bernardo Vergara and Regional Police Director Victor Luga, will lead
the speakers, together with Acting Regional Director Danilo Flordeliza of
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Vice Mayor Betty Lourdes
Tabanda, action officer of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac).

On the other hand, Project: Sports Laban sa Droga will kick off 9 a.m.
Sunday with at least 40 scooter riders from the Pines Scooters Group headed
by its president, Guillermo Dakis.

Former Councilor and sportsman Nars Padilla, project head, said the
anti-drug campaign is part of a series of activities against the drugs
menace initiated by the National Correspondents Club of Baguio, Sportscope
Sabado of Viacomm Cable TV in cooperation with several local sports
organizations and the local government.

The project aims to create awareness about the dangers and ill effects of
using drugs.

Padilla said one of the project's objectives is to ensure that people in
the sports arena, especially the athletes, trainer-coaches, sports leaders
and aficionados as well as sports lovers in the community are not drug
users or pushers of drug syndicates.

The scootercade will start on top of Session Road at 9 a.m. with Tabanda
firing the starting gun.

The riders will traverse the city's main streets and various barangays,
bearing with them anti-drugs posters, streamers and balloons.

A closing program will then be held at the Malcolm Square, People's Park
with Tabanda as guest of honor and speaker.

"It is sad to note that a number of the city's barangays are in the
"infiltrated" listings of the anti-drug campaign," Padilla said.

He added that on different time slots, athletes and sportsmen, motorcycle
and bicycle clubs, including the Boy and Girl Scouts in the city, will also
be scheduled in the Sports Laban sa Droga campaign as one way to help
ensure a "more peaceful and drug-free Baguio." RD/GK