Author: Guest *

The Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, Philippines, was a partner in the drug-awareness campaign on July 23 that was sponsored by the National Service Training Program (NSTP) of Iloilo Science and Technology (ISAT) University La Paz Campus. The campaign was aimed at approximately 1000 freshmen college students. The other partners were the university’s department of Bachelor of Arts in Community Development and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Office 6.

Mr. David Abraham Garcia, the Public Information Officer of PDEA Region 6, gave a relevant and interactive lecture on dangerous drugs and the Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002). The talk about the dangers of drug addiction was then reinforced by an activity-based program facilitated by the Goducate team.

The program conducted by the Goducate Team focused on empowering the students to take preventive action against drug addiction. The students were divided into smaller clusters for the lesson and counseling time. GTC believes that the best medium for learning is fun, so fun and interaction were incorporated into the lessons, discussions and activities facilitated by Goducate community development workers. Surveys have shown that drug addicts who have loved ones who care for them have higher recovery rates than those who do not. Thus students were taught how to help drug addicts give up their addiction by being their friend. and a positive influence.

Smiling is one of the most effective tools in connecting with people. To help students confidently connect with people, Goducate held a week-long program called “Smile-all-you can Mission” for ISAT-University NSTP students. Students were divided into teams, and members were encouraged to greet and smile at anyone for 5 seconds. The person smiled at signed a form to verify receipt of a smile. The team who with the most number of verifications became the winner.

Goducate is one with the Philippines, together with the new President Rodrigo Duterte, in its relentless pursuit of putting an end to drug addiction in the country.

*Our guest writer is Joanna De Leon, a community development worker

“We make it fun”, that’s what we always say in Goducate, whether it be in our team-building or any other activity. And we like to rise to the challenge—in this case, of bringing a sports camp to a barangay (village) instead of bringing the campers to the Goducate Training Center.

Working hand in hand with the barangay officials, we held our first Barangay Sports Camp in Barangay Camando, Leon, on April 9. 68 young people (aged 13-19 yr) turned up for this day camp. It was their first time playing their favorite sport (basketball) in a camp, and their first time to try our Archery Assault.

What the camp brought to the youths was not only fun. The games stirred up their interest in sports, thus possibly diverting their attention from less-wholesome activities. They heard testimonies of changed lives to encourage them to stay on the right track. The fun-filled team-building games led on to small-group discussions. And during counselling time, they were mentored on various aspects of life. In all, the camp was an extraordinary experience for the campers, who learnt sportsmanship, discipline, cooperation, and sense of responsibility.

We are now looking look forward to working with other barangays to hold sports camps there.

*Our guest writer is Marmar Daguob, a trainee at the Goducate Training Center, Iloilo