 THE country will vie for another place in history as the first nation to hold the biggest march against illegal drugs by a targeted one million participants at the Grand Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA) March on March 21.
Spearheaded by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the BIDA Foundation with support from various government agencies, local government units and non-government organizations, the Grand BIDA March is expected to gather more than 700,000 public elementary school children, who, along with their parents and teachers, are expected to reach a number of one million marchers – enough for a slot in the Guinness World Book of Records.
Heading the campaign is PAGCOR Chairman Efraim C. Genuino who is leading the call for a drug-free nation through the BIDA March. “This is the time to take a stand as a nation. By participating in the Grand BIDA March, we do not only show the entire nation, but the whole world that the Filipino people are one against the fight versus illegal drugs,” Genuino said in a statement delivered by PAGCOR VP for Corporate Communications Mr. Dodie King.
King meanwhile explained the rationale why school children were tapped as the prime target of the anti-drugs campaign. “It is our belief that we should educate our kids at a very young age about substance abuse, because if we start teaching them now about their dangers, they will develop ‘disgust’ or ‘hatred’ towards illegal drugs,” he said.
Watch the Grand BIDA video!
During a media conference held yesterday at the Alegria Lounge of the PAGCOR Pavilion branch in Manila Pavilion Hotel, BIDA Foundation also presented the endorsers of the Grand BIDA March who volunteered their time and showed support to the event. They were: TV and movie actresses Pauleen Luna, Nadine Samonte, Isabel Oli, and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) spokesperson Roxanne Barcelo.
The young stars were joined by the 2008 Ms. Earth title holders: Ms. Earth Karla Paula Henry, Ms. Earth-Fire Kristelle Lazaro, and Ms. Earth-Water Marian Michelle Oblea. Ms. Catherine Untalan from the Ms. Earth Foundation was also present. The ladies all vowed to participate at the Grand BIDA March on March 21 and encouraged the public to join the record-setting event.
Meanwhile, BIDA Foundation Corporate Secretary Josephine Evangelista said that more than 300 public elementary schools have already been visited by the BIDA Eskwela Caravan to spread awareness on illegal drugs and invite elementary schoolchildren to join the BIDA Kids Club. To date, they have recruited about 700,000 members from Metro Manila to as far as Cavite and Laguna.
Launched in 2003, the BIDA Project is also supported by the Department of Education, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Dangerous Drugs Board.
The Grand BIDA March will start at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, with the assembly point set at the CCP Grounds. From there, marchers will pass by the Rajah Sulayman Park to be scanned and counted before proceeding to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta for a program and free concert featuring some of the country’s hottest bands and young stars. |
