Tens of thousands schoolchildren march vs. illegal drugs

MANILA, Philippines — Tens of thousands of public school children, accompanied by their teachers and parents, marched Saturday afternoon in Manila in support of the nationwide campaign against illegal drugs. Dubbed Grand Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA), the march took off at 1 p.m. from the Cultural Center of the Philippines grounds and proceeded to the Quirino Gandstand in Luneta, where a program and free concert featuring some of the country’s hottest bands and young stars were held. Organizers hope the number of marchers would be big enough to get recognition in the Guinness World Book of Records. First launched in 2003 with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo leading the oath-taking of thousands of children into the BIDA Kids Club, the project is a massive information campaign that aims to educate children between the ages of six and 12-years-old on the dangers of substance abuse. It was spearheaded by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) and the BIDA Foundation with support from various government agencies, local government units (LGUs) and non-government organizations (NGOs). It is also supported by the Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). Many celebrities also joined the march. So did Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim. Giving a sort of a pep talk at the Quirino Grandstand, the 80-year-old former police general explained that children need not experiment with illegal drugs because doing so would get them hooked to the habit. BIDA Foundation corporate secretary Josephine Evangelista explained that the Grand Bida March is all about creating awareness. “We want to grab the public’s attention not only locally but in a global scale. The march is a massive event in which our schoolchildren will play a vital role in leading a battle cry against illegal drugs. Our children want to win this war and this is their venue." Pagcor Chairman Ephraim C. Genuino, on the other hand, said: “This is the time to take a stand as a nation. By participating in the Grand BIDA March, we do not only show the entire nation, but the whole world that Filipino people are one against the fight versus illegal drugs.". “Let us work together to make our country a safer place to live. We owe it to our children and to future generations," he added. Dodie King, Pagcor vice president for corporate communications, said school children were tapped as the prime target of the anti-drugs campaign because they are the future targets of drug traffickers. “It is our belief that we should educate our kids at a very young age about substance abuse, because if we start teaching them now about their dangers, they will develop “disgust" or “hatred" towards illegal drugs," King said. The Department of Transportations and Communications (DOTC) provided MRT/LRT rides for all registered participants, while the Department of Public Works and Highways allowed BIDA to make use of their railings apart from providing at least 1,800 volunteers. Maynilad Water provided free water stations in the area for the participants, while the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) set up booths and provided medical volunteers to provide first-aid. Apart from the bid to make a mark in Philippine history and to aim for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records in the category “Largest March against Illegal Drugs," the BIDA march aims to increase awareness on the dangerous effects of illegal drugs and to attract considerable attention, even on an international level and help pave the way for a drug-free Philippines. - GMANews.TV