Learning flourishes when campuses are able to uphold both education and well-being. In Iloilo City, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), led by Chairperson Secretary Oscar Valenzuela, worked alongside the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in the Zonal Public Orientation on CHED Memorandum Order No. 5, Series of 2026, which sets a clear direction for strengthening health and well-being systems in higher education.
The orientation emphasized that supporting the youth goes beyond awareness campaigns. It calls for systems that enable prevention, early support, and sustained care—recognizing that student well-being is essential to learning and development. In this context, the initiative relates to the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS), particularly its focus on drug demand reduction, where prevention and well-being are central, alongside its pillar on health, social, and developmental services, which recognizes drug addiction as a chronic, relapsing health condition and promotes interventions anchored on treatment, relapse prevention, reintegration, and holistic recovery.
CHED Memorandum Order No. 5, Series of 2026 advances this direction through an integrated approach that brings together mental health promotion, substance use prevention, and student support services within a cohesive campus framework. To guide implementation, the R.A.D.I.A.N.T. framework was introduced, offering practical strategies that help institutions translate policy into responsive and measurable programs.
Discussions highlighted the importance of functional referral systems and strengthened institutional capacity, with emphasis on coordination among schools, communities, and service providers. Exchanges among participants grounded these policies in real campus settings and reinforced a people-centered approach that brings services closer to individuals, families, and communities.
In his message, Secretary Valenzuela emphasized that the national approach to drugs continues to evolve, grounded in compassion, guided by science, and anchored in human rights. He underscored that prevention begins in schools and communities, with higher education institutions playing a key role in shaping how young people understand risks, build resilience, and make informed choices.
The call now extends across higher education institutions to create environments where health and learning move forward together, supporting the youth to grow with clarity, responsibility, and purpose.
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