Comelec told: Party-list info drive needed

The DrugWatch movement urged the Commission on Elections yesterday to immediately launch an information campaign on the party-list system to encourage more voters to take a serious look at over a hundred organizations participating in the May elections.

DrugWatch official Joseph Baduel expressed concern that many voters will again overlook the blank space allocated for party-list representative because of lack of information.

Baduel said DrugWatch volunteers all over the country are eager to participate in the party-list elections because it would give them a chance to push for stronger laws against illegal drugs and alcohol.

"Alcoholism is a social disease that has not really been tackled in our society. We hope to come up with a legislative campaign to discourage teen alcoholism as well as drug abuse," Baduel added.

The anti-drugs movement has adopted the slogan, "Drugwatch — Kalaban ng Droga!" to emphasize its 11 years of work in the anti-drugs campaign as a non-government organization.

"We have been helping parents whose children are drug dependents through counseling and treatment referrals. The DrugWatch has also been an active exponent of substance abuse programs in communities and schools," Baduel said.

DrugWatch has a logo designed by Filipino artist Mauro Malang Santos called "The Eye," symbolizing people’s vigilance against drugs. DrugWatch is part of the Citizens’ DrugWatch Foundation whose founding members are led by former senator and now Lakas senatorial candidate Ernesto Herrera with Senate President Pro Tempore Blas Ople as vice chairman. Sen. Loren Legarda Leviste is also among the officials of the Citizens’ DrugWatch Foundation.