Back when Mike was a congressman, he was a key figure in the government’s efforts to curb what was (and arguably, still is) a growing menace in the country—the proliferation, selling, and abuse of illegal drugs. As a young politician, ‘Tol knew that the concerns of the youth was his concern as well, and that the worsening drug trafficking in the country will surely have dire effects on their well-being.

In light of this, Mike was instrumental in the passage of laws governing drug enforcement, particularly the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1998.

The Act contained specific measures regarding illegal drugs—e.g. specific penalties on drug traffickers, rehabilitation measures for drug users, effective methods of disposing illegal drugs, educational campaigns, etc., thus giving the government extra ammunition in the war against drug pushers.

The anti-drug efforts of Mike and his co-authors spurred further amendments to the Act—the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act was implemented in 2002, and in that same year, two more anti-drug institutions were formed: the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the Integrated Drug Abuse Data Information Network (a network for monitoring drug use and abuse).

While there has been much progress in the government’s campaign, the war on drugs is still ongoing, and Mike calls on us to be ever vigilant in the fight against drugs.

It is a well known fact that shabu is one of the most abused narcotics in the country, with over 90% of drug users making it their drug of choice. Furthermore, drugs like marijuana and ecstasy are known to have attracted many users, many of them in the youth sector. More troubling is the fact that certain establishments in the Metro, some of which cater to celebrities and other prominent figures, are rumored to be venues for illegal drug use.

While strict penalties have now long been in place for pushers, there are many who are simply unafraid of being caught. They lurk in the darkest places of the metropolis, preying on addicts and non-addicts alike.

As a trailblazer in the fight against drugs, Mike calls on all of us to join the fight. Report drug pushers. Encourage drug users you know to seek help and rehabilitation. Help clean the country—the simplest thing that you can do to help is not do drugs. Be like Mike: just say no.