PCES Inc., BJMP CALABARZON Ties Up Partnership to Strengthen Employment Support for Soon-to-Be-Released PDLs
May 30, 2024
Philippine Central Engagement Service (PCES) Inc. together with Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) CALABARZON extended the collaboration effort in terms of providing employment services for soon-to-be-released Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) under BJMP CALABARZON, through the official signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on May 30, 2024 at Turbina, Calamba City, Laguna.
BJMP CALABARZON Representatives and Formalization of the Agreement
During this event, JCSUPT. Hilbert M. Flor, JSUPT. Alvin Gavan, and JCINSP. Luisa L. Dionela-Tenorio represented BMJP CALABARZON and its participating offices in Cavite.
Meanwhile, Data Protection Officer (DPO) John Ronald Robillos and Chief Finance Officer Jeal Pascua of PCES Inc. take part in the MOA Signing to formalize the partnership.
Both parties ventured into this new partnership to further support the reintegration process of PDLs as well as assisting them in getting their life on track after imprisonment.
Other offices like BJMP Bacoor and BJMP Tanza have partnered with PCES in order to support PDL employment.
For many people detained in the prison system, freedom from jail does not mean the end of their troubles; rather, it signals the beginning of an even more challenging struggle—revitalizing their lives in a hostile environment.
Once released, PDLs face barriers such as securing jobs, losing social connections, and having limited financial resources. PDLs disproportionately face community disaffiliation and disengagement. For some, emotional readjustment proves particularly challenging.
Restoring Dignity and Connection
Social reintegration relates to restoring a person’s dignity, sense of purpose, and connection to community—not simply the removal of their physical restraints.
Strengthening Supportive Environments
To that end, the prison system should prioritize adopting initiatives that provide PDLs with meaningful connections to prospective employers and stable psychosocial support. Supportive environments that enable people to return to their community and participate in community life should be provided as PDLs leave incarceration.
Facilities like BJMP Bacoor implement programs like Bars of Dough which allow PDLs to practice their skills in baking.
How does PCES Support Soon-to-Be-Released
PCES aims to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals by providing opportunities to start afresh in life. Through integration initiatives and employment opportunities for PDLs, PCES bridges the gap between correctional facilities and the community.
Assisted by correctional facilities, PCES maintains community integration programs for PDLs nearing release through Chains2Chances (C2C) and other initiatives by:
- Providing skills training and certification based on purpose and industry demand.
- Linking second-chance employers who hire PDLs or ex-offenders for community reintegration.
- Building an ecosystem of opportunities with LGUs, NGOs, and private and public sector partnerships.
With PCES’s Chains2Chances, reentry is about transformation and survival. Each transformed opportunity reinstates and strengthens the spirit of a second chance.
Social Reintegration for Soon-to-Be-Released PDLs