Various government agencies led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday launched in Manila a caravan that will bring government services to people deprived of liberty (PDLs).

During the launching of the first-ever Pag-asa Expo: Katarungan at Serbisyo (Service and Justice) Caravan at the Manila City Jail in Sta. Cruz, Manila, DILG Undersecretary Serafin Barretto Jr. said the initiative is part of the government’s duty to uphold justice and ensure compassionate service for all, including those behind bars.

“We have a duty to serve you, because that is what we swore to do,” Barretto told the beneficiaries.

“We are here not just to provide service but to bring hope, progress, and recognition to each of you, our fellow Filipinos.”

Among the services to be provided by the caravan are the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), psychosocial counseling, extended Balik Probinsya assistance, legal consultations provided by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and aid for over 200 PDLs who are set for release.

Together with private partners, the caravan mobilized several government agencies including DOLE, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and PAO.

As part of the initiative, 5,000 hygiene kits were also distributed to the PDL population of the Manila City Jail.

A total of 200 TUPAD beneficiaries, meanwhile, will be deployed for 10 days and will be paid PHP695 per day, the minimum wage for National Capital Region (NCR) workers.

DILG Assistant Secretary Liavel Badillo-Crisostomo said those who will be hired under the emergency employment program will work inside the facility. Their tasks will include cleaning, gardening and painting.

“There is a rule that they (PDLs) can only have PHP2,000 per week inside but because of the DOLE, there will be booths during payouts in coordination with Western Union. They can send it directly to their families,” Crisostomo said.

The DILG, together with its partner agencies, reaffirmed its commitment to continuously deliver vital services to PDLs, with plans to roll out the caravan to other parts of the country.

The initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for a whole-of-government approach in bringing essential services closer to the grassroots level, especially to the vulnerable sectors. (PNA)