MANILA HOLDS ALAY LAKAD AGAINST DRUGS

The City of Manila staged its version of Alay Lakad Laban sa Droga to create awareness among the youth on the evils of drug use. The walk was participated in by 14 city elementary schools and 8 city high schools in District 2 with some 2,000 students, their parents and barangay officials of the district participating.

            The walk was organized by the Manila Sports Council and the Citizens Drug Watch Foundation, which began at 6 a.m. at the F. Torres, encircling Gagalangin in Tondo and wound up at F. Torres HS where the winners were awarded.

            Mayor Alfredo S. Lim extolled the participants to study hard and strive for a better tomorrow by avoiding illegal drugs, which will not bring them anywhere.

“If you try it and become addicted to it, you will end up in jail because when you have no resources to buy your addiction, you will steal, hold up people and engage in other crimes that will land you in the city jail,” he said.

Should the addiction become worse, you will even die and go to the Manila North or South Cemetery or La Loma, the Mayor said.

“Binabati ko kayo sa inyong pagdalo sa alay lakad dahil sa murang isip nanindigan kayo sa pakikipaglaban sa droga, iyang ipinagbabawal na gamot ay makasisira sa inyong kinabukasan, hindi lamang sa inyong kinabukasan kung hindi pati sa inyong pag-aaral.

He said the only way for children to become professionals someday is to study hard and repay their parents for all the love and sacrifices by being the best they can ever become. Kaya tayo nagmartsa ay para hindi patutukso sa droga. Lim said.

Masco Chief Niño de la Cruz said today’s youth face problems with drugs. “Tayong mga taga-Tondo ayaw ng droga, ang Alay Lakad na ito ay dapat nating ipagpatuloy. Iwasan natin ang droga, magkaisa tayo sa pagsugpo ng ipinagbabawal na gamot.”.

Aside from Mayor Lim and de la Cruz, others present were: Councilor Carlo Lopez, 2^nd district; Manila Department of Social Welfare OIC Jay de la Fuente, Barangay chairman Lourdes Gutierrez of dist. 2 and Col. Alex Gutierrez, chief, District Special Project Unit (DSPU)