The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program of the Philippine
National Police is being launched in Talavera with the cooperation of the Local
Government Unit thru the leadership of Mayor Nerivi Santos Martinez and the DepEd.
The program, an adjunct to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s efforts to combat the drug
problems in the Philippines is part of the United Stand Against Dangerous Drugs
(USAD).

Talavera is at the fore front to address the use of illegal drugs. The DARE
program is a comprehensive anti-drug curriculum that will be taught to students by
specially-trained school principals and teachers. The program of DARE aims to
inform/teach the students about the harmful effects of drugs and strengthen them to
resist the temptation of drug experimentation and the pressure of peers who want them
to engage in drug use.

It also aims to enhance students’ self-esteem and build their
social skills, as these are believed to be linked to the cause of their drug use. It also
aims to lessen drug dependent people in Talavera especially students by teaching them
effective peer resistance and refusal skills so that they can say “no” to drugs and their
friends who may want them to use drugs.

Mayor Nerivi Santos Martinez is hopeful that with DARE, students will be given
more information about dangerous drugs and this will cause them to make the right
decisions that could affect their future.

(CRP)