D.A.R.E. BOARD MEETS TO DISCUSS 2018 PLANS

The Board of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education ( D. ARE.) Philippines, headed by its Chairman, former Philippine President and now Manila City Mayor Joseph EJercito Estrada ( seated, 3s from right), recently met to discuss plans and programs for 2018. Board members present were the following: ( Seated L- R) Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( PCCI) Chairman Sergio Ortiz- Luis; Former GMANetwork President Menardo Jimenez; Former Finance and trade Secretary and current Philippine Stock Exchange ( PSE) Chairman Jose Pardo; Mayor Estrada; Budget Secretary Ben Diokno; Philippines Inc. President Tony Lope; ( Standing L- R) National Center for Mediation ( NCM) Executive Director and PCCI Committees Chairman Pol Aure; former Senate Chief of Staff and current DARE Philippines Executive Vice- President Atty. Donna Gasgonia; former Presidential Chief of Staff Eki Cardenas; former Press Secretary and Spokesperson and current Head of MVP Group Media Bureau Atty. Mike Toledo; and former Labor Secretary Atty. Benny Taguesma. D. A. R. E. Philippines is the foremost civic organization focusing on education to break the vicious cycle of drug abuse. The DARE program was designed for implementation in the United States by the Los Angeles Unified School District in coordination with the Los Angeles Police Department ( LAPD) through D. A. R. E. America. In 1993, then- Vice- President Estrada invited the LAPD to the Philippines to train PNP officers. In response to the clamor of the officers to revive the program, D. A. R. E. Philippines Association Inc. was incorporated in 201S. The current D. A. R. E. Board intends to meet with President Duterte to present their programs.