Barkada Kontra Droga Activities: Implications to The Lifestyle of The High School Students in The Municipality of Sto. Niṅo

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Barkada Kontra Droga is the flagship program of the Dangerous Drugs Board under the Board Regulation No. 5 series of 2007. It enjoins all sectors of the society to be part of special groups known as "barkadas” that advocate and serve as models to young people to live their lives in a productive and healthy way away from the evil effects of drugs. The Municipality of Sto. Niño actively responded to this aim by implementing the Barkada Kontra Droga among secondary schools. Students are the primary clientele of the said program. This study was conducted to determine the implications of the said program to the lifestyle of high school students in the above-mentioned municipality.

METHODS

This study used the descriptive type of research, following the scientific method of investigation and used the survey questionnaires formulated by the researchers to identify the activities offered by the secondary schools under the Barkada Kontra Droga Program. Researchers identified what were the activities joined by the five hundred high school students. The study also determined the extent of the implementation of the activities of Barkada Kontra Droga and its significant relationship to the lifestyles of the high school students in the Municipality of Sto. Niño.

RESULTS

Based on the activities being offered by the secondary schools in the Municipality of Sto. Niño, the top five most participated activities under Barkada Kontra Drogas are: dancing activities, creative writing activities, peer counselling activities, art activities and religious activities. The score of the high school students’ lifestyle in terms of their physical, emotional, mental, social, intellectual and spiritual aspects is high. Overall, the Barkada Kontra Droga activities offered by secondary schools have a significant relationship to the lifestyle of high school students in the Municipality of Sto. Niño.

DISCUSSIONS

The result should be utilized in motivating all of the learners to be active in the BKD activities to help them avoid illegal drugs. There should be a strong advocacy not only inside the school campus but also outside to remind and encourage high school students. Furthermore, a strict monitoring and evaluation scheme should be conducted to ensure students' participation in the offered activities.