ILOILO City – A total of 99 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Male Dormitory in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district completed their skills training in various courses.
BJMP Jail Superintendent Mary Chanette Espartero said the training is part of the bureau’s program to equip PDLs while they are inside the facility.
“Magiging productive sila while nandito sila, and they will be able to combat boredom, at the same time, ang skills training nila magamit nila upon their release,” she said.
The skills training for the detainees included shielded metal arc welding national certificate or NC I; bread and pastry production NC II; pastry making (leading to bread and pastry production NC II); and preparation of cold meals (leading to cookery NC II).
The training, which lasted for about two months, was in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – Iloilo and Kryz Vocational and Technical School, Inc. (KVTS).
TESDA provided allowances for the detainees.
Meanwhile, KVTS president Concepcion Carillo said these skills training give PDLs an identity, based on their skills, and not their past as eventual ex-detainees.
“So, we give hope to these people of BJMP, we give them an inspiration, and we give them an opportunity to avail of the Abot Lahat Program of TESDA,” said Carillo.
KVTS made their trainers available for the training and donated uniforms for shielded metal arc welding graduates.
Further, the school donated an industrial oven and a welding machine to the facility.
The graduates received their certificates during the culminating activity inside the facility. (With a report from PIA/PN)
