11/08/2025
๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐
๐ข๐ฅ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก
As drug addiction continues to be a problem in the Philippines, many adolescents in the country are already using illegal substances such as drugs, ci******es, and alcoholic beverages, according to a Police Chief Master Sergeant (PCMS).
Although PCMS Joy Requita has not yet handled firsthand a case where an adolescent was caught for drug usage and pushing, she still warned students from Alabel National Science High School (AlSci) about the dangers of it through an anti-illegal drugs symposium, August 8.
Aftermath of Drug-dependency
Requita pointed out a case from Maguindanao as a reference to the dangers of drug use, where a mother was killed by her own drug-addict sons, symbolizing the impacts that can arise from constant and unaddressed substance abuse.
โTatlong magkakapatid na nasa ilalim ng impluwensiya ng drogaโ pinatay, inihaw, at kinain ang sarili nilang ina dahil akala nila siya ay isang baboy, dahil ito sa Ma*****na na isang uri ng hallucinogen,โ she claimed.
She also mentioned the effects that come with using drugs, highlighting that consuming harmful substances can lead to a change in sleeping hours, bruises all over the body, and overall, a disrupted lifestyle.
โMakikita mo na may marka kana sa iyong katawan, magkaroon din ng pagbabago sa oras ng pagtulog. Sa umaga, tulog. Sa gabi, gising. Masisira nito ang buhay mo,โ Requita stated.
Root Cause of the Addiction
According to Requita, the young generation, especially teenagers, are vulnerable to problems such as broken families, no proper guidance from parents, social media, exposure to early drug use, especially the influence of friends which can push them to try drugs.
โLalo na kapag may peer pressure, mapipilitang gumamit na lamang ng ilegal na droga. Kayaโt choose the friends whom you are surrounded with wisely,โ she noted.
She also clarified that growing up in a broken family does not equate to becoming a drug user; however, she said that they are only much more susceptible to becoming a user, compared to those who grew up in a complete one.
โHindi ko sinasabing โpag galing sa broken family ay adik na. Pero some, ito talaga ang ilan sa mga dahilan. Kasi minsan sa tingin nila wala na silang kakampi in an emotional sense. Kaya kumakampi sila sa droga,โ she mentioned.
She also iterated that the lack of proper guidance from parents may lead to the lack of resistance to drugs.
โEspecially kung nakikita sina mama o iba pang family members na gumagamit ng droga, sa tingin nila ito na โyong tama kahit hindi,โ she stated.
Moreover, social media may also pose negative effects towards adolescents because some people post pot sessions online, which may influence the youth into thinking of it as โcoolโ.
Preventing Further Substance Use and Abuse
Therefore, to prevent teenagers as well as adults from using and abusing drugs, including other illegal substances, Requita advised students, teachers, and parents to focus on their spiritual development, family bonding, choosing friends wisely, and going to rehabilitation centers.
โPagdarasal, family bondingโkasi kailangan talaga natin. Maganda kasi โyung โpag time to time chini-check kayo ng parents niyo, chini-check kayo ng kaibigan niyo para alamin โyung whereabouts niyo. Then, kilalanin kung sino โyong makakaibigan ng mga anak niyo,โ she cited.
In addition, she agreed that treating drug addiction as a healthcare concern would be very effective, because once a person is very dependent on drugs, it would be very difficult to cure it.
โKatulad ng pag-treat ng sakit, mas mabuti na i-prevent mo kaysa mayroon ka nang sakit. Kasi โdi ba kapag mayroon na โyong sakit, mahihirapan ka na mag-cure. Same lang โyan sa drug, kailangan maging aware ang kabataan para ma-prevent โyong pagdami ng addict sa ating bayan, โ she said.
The PCMS further claimed that the drug addiction happening in the country would be prevented once the demand for drugs is ousted; thus, she alleged that the prevention is more on the responsibility of the users themselves rather than the responsibility of large and small-time drug traffickers.
Although drugs have been known to cause side effects that target the brain and overall health, many Filipinos, including adolescents, resort to drug intake and addiction because of the negative effects they have observed in the environment they grew up in, the willingness to fill emotional gaps, and to escape from reality.
by Kairylle De Sagon, Shanissa Sales
Photo by Athena Soriano, Ruby Diodina
