Marcos gov’t providing skills to inmates through whole-of-government approach for their full transformation, rehab, says BJMP chief – Presidential Communications Office

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on Saturday said they are working with other government agencies to help inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in their transformation by providing them skills they could use after they are released and to prevent them from becoming recidivists.

Speaking during a news forum in Quezon City, BJMP Dir. Ruel Rivera said his agency signed last month a tie up with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for a program that will provide PDLs with employable skills.

“So mayroon ho kaming mga programa diyan para ho itong ating mga nakapiit ay bigyan natin ng employable skills – habang nandoon ho sila ay tinuturuan sila [to become] an electrician or sa mga handicraft making – iyon na ho, doon na ho kami pumupunta,” Rivera told the forum.

“By next week ho ay magkakaroon naman kami ng pirmahan with the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) na paglabas ho nila sa komunidad sila ay mabigyan ng trabaho,” he said.

He said the BJMP is also implementing classification strategy, in which PDLs are classified to match the appropriate programs suited for them. This is to provide the PDL with necessary skills and education that could help them once they reintegrate with society.

Highlighting the effectiveness of the classification program, the BJMP facilitated the graduation last month of 220 high school and senior high school students in the Manila City Jail, Rivera said, adding similar programs are also being implemented in other parts of the country.

“Mayroon na ho kaming napa-graduate na pitong kolehiyo tawag ho namin diyan ‘college behind bars’ at pinaiigting pa ho namin. Ngayon ho mayroon na ho kaming pakikipag-ugnayan at pito na hong kolehiyo sa buong Pilipinas ang nagbibigay ho ng libreng pag-aaral sa kolehiyo doon ho sa mga nakapiit,” he said.

“So, iyon, doon ho kami tumututok ngayon kasi nakakaano ho kumbaga ang BJMP ho ay naiisip namin ‘Bakit ganito kataas ang reoffending?’ Baka kailangan ng programa na habang sila ay nakapiit ay bigyan sila doon na programa,” he added.

Among these programs include handicraft making, pot making, painting and other skills that could aid PDLs transform