Two complex issues that have been the subject of extensive research and concern in the

Philippines. Subtance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive subtances,

including alcohol and illicit drugs, which can lead to addiction, health problems, and social

consequences. On the other hand, juvenile delienquency encompasses range of illegal behaviors

commited by the individuals below the legal adult age, often resulting in legal interventions and

social challenges.

The nexus between substance use and offending during adolescence has important

implications for juvenile justice interventions. Many of the adolescents who get in trouble with

the law have problems with substance use, and their offending is tied to their involvement with

drugs or alcohol. Gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamic and flow of these behaviors is

critical to refining treatment approaches and more effectively targeting prevention efforts for

adolescent offenders. The right intervention at the right time in the development of these

offenders could forestall a lifetime of substance use and offending that fuel each other in a

destructive pattern.

Meanwhile, the relationship between adolescent substance use and offending, but most

studies have focused on general community samples or samples of at-risk youth as they begin to

engage in these behaviors. These efforts have produced a sizable literature documenting the

factors related to the onset or maintenance of these behaviors independently of each other. Less

research has focused on the reciprocal effects of these behaviors on each other during

adolescence. Also lacking is a clear understanding of how these behaviors play out beyond the
 point in early adulthood when youth with established histories of offending and substance

use cease one behavior or the other.

Furthermore,

In summary, to the best of our knowledge this is the first study to provide evidence of the
temporal relationship between tobacco, alcohol and drug use, and delinquent-type behaviours in
a developing country setting. As such, it assists in understanding the complex relationship
between involvement in substance use and delinquent-type behaviours. More specifically,
findings point to the strong association between early engagement in delinquent behaviours and
future risk of delinquency

Subtance abuse and juvenile delinquency are pressing issues in the Philippines, with

potential long-term consequences for individuals and society as a whole. Understanding the

relationship between these two phenomena is crucial for developing effective intervention and

prevention strategies.

ortunately, moves have been made to improve the Juvenile Justice System in the
Philippines, with former Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento calling to LGUs to
improve their juvenile integration programs. Together with this call, the Juvenile
Justice Welfare Council released guidelines for local government units to follow to
develop a Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Program (CLJIP). These
guidelines include budget allocation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of
the CLJIP.