To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services/Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
District Supervisors
Heads, Public Schools

1. Pursuant to Section 43 of Article IV of R.A. No. 9165 otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002”, the Department of Education reiterates its support to the National Drug Education Program (NDEP) with the school head fully responsible for its effective implementation (p. 110 of IRR).
2. The NDEP is a comprehensive educational program which provides for a holistic approach to the problem of drug abuse. It was designed to enable all sectors to work collaboratively, with the school system as the core, thereby, unifying all sectoral endeavors. It has five (5) components: a) curriculum and instruction; b) co- curricular and ancillary services; c) teacher/staff development; d) parent education and community outreach; and e) research, evaluation and monitoring. It is implemented in schools to create awareness on the ill effects of abusing drugs and to develop among students positive behavior and lifeskills to resist drugs. References on NDEP may be made to several department issuances – DECS Memorandum No. 62, s. 1988, DECS Memorandum No. 388, s. 1995, DECS Memorandum No. 499, s. 1997, and DECS Memorandum No. 277, s. 1997.
3. Regional directors and schools division superintendents are therefore instructed to strengthen the implementation of the National Drug Education Program by:
   1. Intensifying anti-drug abuse information campaigns;
   2. Supporting the activities planned by the designated regional and division NDEP coordinators;
   3. Involving PTCAs and student organizations in drug abuse prevention activities;
   4. Allocating funds for the replication of existing modules and teaching aids and/or development of other supplementary instructional materials for drug education;
   5. Mobilizing all scout leaders to integrate drug abuse prevention in the training of scouts utilizing the Drug Abuse Prevention Integrated in Scouting Kit (DISK); and
   6. Collaborating closely with LGUs, other GOs and NGOs at the local level
4. In view of the urgent need to submit monthly updates on compliance with Presidential Directives to the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), it is expected that reports on drug abuse prevention activities/NDEP be sent through e-mail or fax to the Office of the Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Attn.: Asec. Thelma G. Santos, on or before the 7th of each month, starting March 2009.
5. Immediate dissemination of and compliance with this Order is directed.

Reference:
DECS Memorandum: (No. 499, s. 1997) Allotment: 1- -(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
DRUG EDUCATION
OFFICIALS
PROGRAMS
SCHOOLS
SCOUTING

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