CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-10 reported during the Presidential Communications Office-Philippine Information Agency’s Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on July 30 that there are 3,846 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) who have benefited from its livelihood and skills training.
“We treat each and every PDL the same as everyone else. We do not stop the skills and livelihood programs for our PDL para kahit papaano, kahit nakakulong sila, kumikita sila habang nasa loob ng ating facility (so even if they are inside the facility, they can earn a living),” said JCSupt. Cesar Langawin, regional director of BJMP-10.
For skills training, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-10 provided 173 PDLs with National Certificate or NC courses, as well as non-NC courses, with 3,673 PDLs currently undergoing training.
A memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the TESDA-10 strengthens the convergence program through skills development, providing enhanced opportunities for the PDL’s rehabilitation and development.
Also, an agreement between TESDA Bukidnon, Aboitiz Construction Incorporated, MACES Skills Training Institute, and the Office of the 2nd Congressional District Representative of Bukidnon for the “Diretso Trabaho Program” aims to give people who have been to the Malaybalay City District Jail-Reformatory Center “Kanlungan sa Piitan” job opportunities when they get out and can go back into society without any bias or discrimination.
In addition, BJMP-10 implemented 104 livelihood projects.
Collaboration with government agencies provides the BJMP with the necessary support to sustain and improve the PDL programs, one of which is the Department of Trade and Industry-10’s RESTART Project, or Reintegration and Employment Support through Collaborative Capacity Building and Referral System.
According to a PDL, whose identity is withheld for security purposes, “Makatabang man sa amoa ang mga programa ug skills puhon makagawas mi. Daghan mi natun-an ug matun-an pa lang (The programs and skills will help us in the future when we get out. We have learned a lot and will continue to learn more).”
Addressing limited resources
Langawin admits that their resources for providing for the meals of the PDL are limited.
“Actually, kulang na kulang ‘yung P70 per PDL, if you divide it by breakfast, lunch, and dinner, wala nang matitira (the 70 pesos per PDL is very little, if you divide it by breakfast, lunch, and dinner, nothing is left),” he said.
However, Langawin is thankful that the bureau receives a much-needed subsidy from the city government of Cagayan de Oro (CDO).
“Inside the jail facility, we have a bakery, ‘yung mga PDL natin ang gumagawa ng tinapay, ‘yun din ang pinapakain natin sa kanila, and recently we just had a MOA with the Department of Science and Technology-10 para naman po sa catfish o ‘hito’ raising. Ang market namin is doon din sa loob ng city jail,” said Langawin.
(Inside the jail facility, we have a bakery where our PDL bakes the bread, which will also be sold to them, and recently we just had a MOA with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-10 for catfish or “hito” raising. Our market is within the premises of the city jail.)
The recent MOA signing between BJMP-10 and DOST-10 for the Catfish Technology Livelihood Project will address the PDL’s economic and welfare needs. The project focuses on utilizing high-density production and processing technologies for African catfish, and it provides PDL with technical training and the necessary equipment for its cultivation and processing.
Currently, there are 3,000 PDL in the Cagayan de Oro City Jail Male Dormitory, which is considered one of Mindanao’s largest jail populations. (SAYU/PIA-10)
