Fast Facts About ATCPDE

FOUNDED November 30, 1979. Also referred to as ASEAN Training Center for Preventive Drug Education (ATCPDE). A multi-disciplinary organization consisting of different government agencies in the Philippines and expertise in the field of education at the College of Education, University of the Philippines

STRUCTURE: Director, ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD), Drug Education Committee, Executive Secretary, Administrative Assistant, Research Assistant, Departments (4): Training Programs and Staff Development; Research and Development; Development and Production of Instructional Materials; Technical Assistance

AIMS: Coordinate long-range plan in the field of preventive education of respective countries; Assist in organizing and developing effective preventive drug education program in school/communities in ASEAN Countries;

LANGUAGES: English, Filipino

FINANCE: Funding from Government of the Philippines.

IGO RELATIONS: Association of Southeast Asian Nations; Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific; European Commission; International Labor Organization; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; United Nations Children's Fund; United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific; World Health Organization; ACCORD

NGO RELATIONS: International Community Education Association

ACTIVITIES: Attends the ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters Meeting annually; Participates in International Conferences; Conducts regular monthly meetings with Drug Education Committee; Conducts Research to assess training programs, new approaches, and instructional materials; Plans and implements orientation programs in preventive drug education for school administrators; Carries out training programs for program managers, teachers and other educational personnel; Plans and implements orientation programs for community-based leaders; Organizes modular training on drug abuse prevention for teacher, parents, counselor and health personnel; Organizes seminars and workshops

PUBLICATIONS: ASEAN Training Center for Preventive Drug Education Bulletin ( ATCPDE Bulletin, twice a year); Manual on Drug Abuse Prevention Education and Community Information for Teachers, Community Leaders/Workers and Media Practitioners (1988); Manual of Evaluation Instruments in Drug Abuse Preventive Education (1996); Training Modules on Effective Management Skills in Preventive Drug Education (1998); Training Modules for Teachers, Parents, Guidance Counselors, and Health Workers (1999) in Filipino; Seminar reports; Posters; Flipcharts

MEMBERS: Organizations in 10 countries: ASIA Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Individuals in 17 Countries: AFRICA Ethiopia, Nigeria; AMERICAS Canada, USA; ASIA Japan, Jordan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam; AUSTRALIA/PACIFIC Kiribati; EUROPE Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, UK

PAST CONFERENCES: (1) The ATCPDE, together with the Dangerous Drugs Board Philippines conducted a workshop entitled, " Development of Training Modules on Effective Management Skills in Preventive Drug Education " which was held at Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City, Philippines last November 29 - December 4, 1999. This event was participated by the different ASEAN Member Countries. The overall objective of the project is to develop, validate, and produce appropriate training modules on effective management skills for programme managers in preventive drug education. The training modules have been envisioned to consist of learning modules and an Implementation Module. (2) Conducted an International Panel-Forum on Preventive Drug Education last November 29, 1999 at the Benitez Theater of the College of Education, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. This was one of the highlights during the 20th Foundation Anniversary of the ATCPDE. The theme of the panel-forum was " Year 2000 and Beyond: A Unified Action for a Drug-Free ASEAN

MISSION: To promote and protect the well-being of children and youth from the onslaught of drugs through vigorous and unified preventive drug education program. These programs aim to enhance the quality of life of all children and youth, and the people who serve them by preventing, detecting, addressing, and resolving drug-related problems. These programs make use of a balanced approach in unifying the efforts of law enforcement, research, treatment, and rehabilitation with primary focus in preventive education.

VISION: Unified Action for a Drug-Free ASEAN.

Attainment of a drug-free ASEAN requires an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach that coordinates multiple programs and strategies in collaboration with the families, students, community members, and decision and policy makers in the program planning process. With great focus on prevention, the planning process should consider primarily priority behaviors that contribute to health, safety, and well-being of students, staff, and families, as well as assess supportive and healthful environment that nurture decision-making skills and values for life.

HISTORY: The ASEAN Training Center for Preventive Drug Education (ATCPDE) is a product of a long standing collaboration among member countries who have mutually agreed to accelerate drug abuse prevention and control through education in the ASEAN region.

The Center became a reality during the Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Drug Experts held on November 26-30, 1979 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), selecting the Philippines as the site of the ATCPDE.

The choice of the appropriate site for the Center was formalized after Dr. Enrique M. Garcia, then Health Secretary and Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) recommended on July 28, 1980 to former Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Carlos P. Romulo, the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Education as the venue for the Center. This recommendation was acknowledged by UP President Emmanuel Soriano, during the 933rd meeting of the UP Board of Regents held on October 30, 1980.

In addition to the ASEAN Memorandum of Understanding adopted and approved by the five member ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand), a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Dangerous Drugs Board and the University of the Philippines, defining working relationship, was drawn up.

The salient points of the MOA were:

• UP Shall provide the venue and the expertise, and the DDB shall forward to the Center projects approved by the ASEAN Standing Committee and allocate funds for the Center's operating budget;
• The Director of the ASEAN Training Center shall be appointed by the DDB upon the recommendation of the University and shall serve as the over-all administrator of the various activities of the ASEAN Training Center;
• The Executive Secretary shall be appointed by the DDB upon recommendation of the Director of the Center through the University to assist the Director in the implementation of the project and activities of the Center;
• The Center has a Drug Education Committee composed of technical experts from the DDB; Department of Education; Philippine Information Agency; Department of Social Welfare and Development; and UP who work as a team in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects/programs of the ASEAN Training Center.

From then on, the Center has conducted projects/programs and related activities in preventive drug education for ASEAN and some Asian countries in close collaboration with the DDB, the primary governing and policy-making body on matters pertaining to drugs in the country.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:

Under the organizational structure of the ATCPDE, the Director serves as the over-all administrator and coordinator of the ASEAN Training Center. The Governing Board drawn from member countries (at present composed of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) serves as an advisory and coordinating body. One representative from each ASEAN member country who is an expert in preventive drug education constitute the Governing Board of the Center.

Members of the Governing Board convene annually and its recommendation are taken up at the ASEAN Senior Officials on Drugs (ASOD) meeting.

An Implementing Committee (Drug Education Committee or DEC) composed of members from the Dangerous Drugs Board; the College of Education, University of the Philippines; Department of Education, Culture, and Sports; Department of Social Welfare and Development; and the Philippine Information Agency, plus an Executive Secretary assist the Director in carrying out its five-fold functions, namely: training, research, production of instructional materials, technical assistance, and special projects and activities. It maintains a panel of experts in the following areas: training, research and evaluation, skill building, networking, curriculum design, development of instructional materials, school and community-based drug prevention programs, among others.

MECHANISM

In pursuance of its objectives and performance of its functions, the ATCPDE deals withthe other ASEAN countries through the DDB, the ASEAN National Coordinating Council, and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, which in turn transmits information through the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the different ASEAN offices.