Over a thousand bicycle riders and zumba dancers have joined the drug campaign of the Department of Interior and Local Government’s “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” (BIDA) Program held at Bulacan Sports Complex, City of Malolos on Sunday.
With the theme “BIDA B.I.K.E.R.S. Bawal na Gamot ay Iwasan, Magandang Kalusugan, Ehersisyo ay Responsibildad ko”,
Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. graced the event, a program team up with the “Kapitolyo For Life” program of the Provincial Government of Bulacan headed by Governor Daniel R. Fernando and Vice Gov. Alexis Castro.
The participants with their own bicycles went and assembled around 5:00AM at the complex started with a short program before they proceed with a 21-kilometer bike run.
BIDA Program, a multisectoral campaign aimed at reducing drug demand in communities that signifies a collective commitment to address this challenge holistically.
Sec. Abalos said that illegal drugs is a very serious problem in the world wherein in the Philippines, of all those incarcerated in jail and of all the cases filed in court, 60-70% are drug related.
“Ang matindi yun nakalaya na mula sa sintensiya, ang bumabalik sa kulungan ay almost 30%. Yan ang nakalatag na problema sa atin”, Abalos stated.
“It is a whole of government approach, a whole of the nation approach and this is a Filipino way,” he said.
The secretary said that the three way on how to win the war on drugs, first is Filipinos are family oriented, secondly is the concept of “Bayanihan” and the third is Filipinos are religious.
“We will do it the Filipino way na magkakatulungan tayo, because this is a fight to find opportunities, itoy laban para sa mga anak natin dahil walang magulang na gusto nilang maging adik ang mga anak nila,” said Abalos.
In his message, Gov. Fernando said that with the help of BIDA program he encouraged
the Bulakenyos to be part of solution to the social problem such as illegal drugs and other health hazards.
“Hinihikayat ko kayong lahat na maging bukas sa mga oportunidad na itaguyod ang BIDA Program. Life is a journey and not a race,” the governor said.
For his part, Vice Gov. Castro said that the BIDA launching in Bulacan is a call to continue this work to be part of a change in the society and also a campaign in strengthening the health of mind and body.
Also present during the BIDA B.I.K.E.R.S. launching are Undersecretary for Plans, Public Affairs and Communication Usec. Margarita Gutierrez, Cong. Danny Domingo of First District, Cong. Salvador Pleyto of Sixth District, mayor Christian Natividad of the City of Malolos, Board Members Allan Andan and Mina Fermin of First District, Teta Mendoza of Fifth District, Police Regional Office 3 director BGen. Jose Hidalgo Jr., Bulacan Police Provincial Office director Col. Relly Arnedo, Bulacan BFP Provincial Fire Marshal Supt. Janeth Jusayan, and Provincial Adminsitrator Antonette Constantino.
After the event, Abalos proceeded to Balagtas Hall in Hiyas ng Bulacan and Convention Center where he had a meeting with the mayors headed by Bocaue Mayor Eduardo Villanueva Jr., President of League of Municipalities of the Philippines- Bulacan Chapter.