The city government here, through its government and private partners, has equipped more or less 50 male and female Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) with livelihood skills to help them earn a living once they are out of prison.
“This is under the six-point agenda of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas for inclusive development. We teach our persons deprived of liberty with livelihood to give them a second chance and they will not return to their old vice in case they go out,” Ma. Mathilde Treñas said in an interview on Friday. She is the administrator of the Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC) Molo campus which handles the skills training.
On Thursday, the 30 trainees of bread and pastry making, and food processing from the male dormitory of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Ungka, Jaro received their certificates upon completion of the training.
This project was in partnership with the Philippine Foremost Milling Corporation that provided all the needed consumables for bread and pastry making, Treñas said.
The PDL graduates also received PHP300,000 seed capital from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) facilitated by Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda to sustain the program.
On Nov. 23, the PDLs underwent the Entrepreneurship for Financial Literacy provided by the Department of Trade and Industry and the city government’s Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion office.
Training courses offered included baking, food processing such as papaya and mango, and other food products with longer shelf life such as camote, banana chips, pinasugbo, atchara, and peanut butter that can be marketed outside of the facility.
Meantime, training on beauty care is ongoing for around 25 PDLs from the BJMP’s female dormitory along Gen. Luna Street in City Proper in partnership with the Daughters of Charity that provided the materials and will also give starter kits upon completion of the training.
The livelihood training that started November 12 runs for two Saturdays and two Sundays. After this, training in reflexology will be offered. (PNA)
