The Victorias City government sealed a partnership with the Department of Justice Parole and Probation Administration (DOJ-PPA) to implement various rehabilitation programs for the 148 parolees and probationers of the city at rites Friday, January 12.
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez signed the memorandum of understanding with DOJ-PPA Administrator Bienvenido Benitez Jr., Rep. Jose Franciso Benitez, Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Portia Mallorca, DOJ-PPA Region VI Chief Probation Parole Officer (CPPO) Grace Tomaro, and Chief Probation and Parole Officer Annie Abellar of Victorias and Silay.
The MOU is a joint partnership with the DOJ-PPA, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Victorias City Schools Division Office, and the Office of the congressional representative of the Third District of Negros Occidental, a press release from Victorias City said.
Through the partnership, the 145 parolees and probationers will avail of various reintegration programs for livelihood, entrepreneurship, and capability building, it said.
The LGU will also converge with its partner agencies for community organization, monitoring, and evaluation.
The partnership aims to accelerate sustainable economic development in the city and promote peace and social justice, the press release said.
“We redeem lives and give them a second chance,” the DOJ-PPA administrator said during the program.
Mayor Benitez further emphasized the vision of DOJ-PPA and shared the importance of education, capacity building, and reintegration of offenders into the community.
“Everybody gets the second chance that everybody deserves,” Rep. Benitez said as he congratulated the program beneficiaries and partners.
Mallorca expressed the commitment of the Victorias City Schools Division Office to delivering quality, accessible, and relevant education for all and shared that the DOJ-PPA has the support of the SDO for their programs.
Supervising TESDA Provincial Specialist Ernesto Duremdes presented several programs of TESDA including various livelihood courses which the parolees and probationers can avail.
SP Committee Chair on Education Councilor Derek Palanca, Councilor Audie Malaga, and SK Federation President Councilor Trisha Majan joined the event, along with Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Mark Anthony Tan, program beneficiaries, volunteers, representatives from partner agencies, department heads, and city employees. *