SAN JOSE, Antique – One hundred twenty-five (125) Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) will now be provided with a holistic package of science and technology interventions including a chance to earn a college degree.
The University of Antique (UA) launched on Jan. 31 the “Holistic Opportunities and People’s Empowerment (HOPE) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) here through CEST (Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology)” Project with a P2,439,868 funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
Under the Human Resource Development aspect of the said program, PDLs who are qualified and those who graduated from Alternative Learning System (ALS) Program may earn their diploma and college degree even behind the bars through a ladderized education program provided by UA in support to the College Education Behind Bars (CEBB) program of the BJMP.
UA will also offer competency-based training for PDLs who are still not qualified to take a college degree yet willing to acquire National Certification (NC).
Dr. Pablo S. Crespo Jr., UA president, also ensured the PDLs that after a year or two, when they are freed from the BJMP and they still want to pursue their studies, they can continue studying at UA.
“We make sure nga after four years, zero drop-out, tanan maka-graduate kag makasaka sa stage kang University of Antique nga nakatoga.”
UA and DOST will also provide bakery equipment, technical, marketing, packaging and labeling assistance and other business operation support for the production of bakery products which will be promoted by UA’s Marketing students and will be sold at the University canteen.
Engr. Rowen R. Gelonga, CESO II, Region 6 director of DOST, said CEST program is normally implemented for the marginalized community like underdeveloped barangays.
This is the first time in Western Visayas that DOST identified the PDLs as the CEST community who will be the beneficiaries of the said project.
“Dahan-dahan while they are still staying here, kay ang purpose man lang sang aton nga pag- accommodate sa ila is essentially to rehabilitate and to transform them. And what better way to transform our PDLs than by enhancing ang ila educational qualifications,” Gelonga added.
Interventions related to health and nutrition will also be provided through the deployment of one RxBox and eight water filters, and the conduct of psycho-education and meaning-making activities, and health meal planning. They will also undergo training on preservation and conservation of natural resources, disaster risk reduction, and management and climate change adaptation.
Dr. Jail Chief Superintendent Simeon S. Dolojo, Jr., regional director of BJMP, believes that the project serves as a right avenue for communities to accept and understand the PDLs once they acquire their freedom because the agency is also doing its best to transform them.
“Samtang may ara sang mga tawo nga handa maghatag sang ila bulig para sa aton, amu ina sya ang tunay nga kasanag nga dapat palapitan naton, para sa inyo paggwa isa na kamo ka mapuslanon nga indibidwal sa inyo komunidad,” Dolojo told PDLs.
UA is the second institution in the Philippines to offer College Education for PDLs next to the Social Entrepreneurship Technology and Business Institute (SETBI) who initiated the College Education Behind Bars (CEBB) in partnership with SETBI, the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) XI. (Faith Gumia Saim-UA)/PN
