Published December 20, 2020, 3:01 PM Groups advocating awareness and acceptance of harm reduction by society have come together under one umbrella organization to promote the adoption of harm reduction strategies by the Philippine government. Harm reduction is a public health strategy that was developed initially for adults with substance abuse problems for whom abstinence was not feasible. These include using a nicotine patch instead of smoking, consuming water while drinking alcohol, using substances in a safe environment with someone they trust, and needle exchange programs for people who inject drugs. (JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) “It refers to a range of practical strategies aimed at lessening the negative social and physical consequences associated with particularly risky human behaviors,” said Prof. Ron Christian Sison, Lead Convenor of the Harm Reduction Alliance of the Philippines (HARAP), a national peer-run advocacy and capacity-building association that aims to promote harm reduction as part of the country’s public health policy, for the benefit of every individual’s right to well-being.