To strengthen the capacities of its jails towards sustainable agriculture, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Mimaropa have established the government’s HAPAG (Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay) sa Barangay Project, according to its information officer Jail Officer 3 Joefrie Anglo.
Anglo said in a news release, the goal of the project is to holistically support the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) by increasing their agricultural productivity and the creation of sustainable opportunities for income generation and self-sufficiency.
He said, “the mandate of the BJMP is to ensure that it responds to the well-being of PDLs. It urges all its facilities, especially those with vacant lots to plant and help jail residents to at least have food for daily sustenance.”
On its social media page, BJMP-Puerto Princesa City Jail Male Dormitory shared their mini garden, which was set up as a venue for the jail community to freely plant and acquire nutritional food.
Meanwhile, BJMP-San Jose District Jail also flaunted their urban organic garden which grows eggplants, basil, upo (bottle gourd), tomatoes, sili labuyo (small chili peppers), and amplaya.
BJMP Mimaropa director Jail Senior Superintendent Clarence Mayangao said, they are committed to this program that follows the thrust of addressing the food insecurity at the grassroots level which will eventually lead to sustainable agriculture and food-production.
“We really commit to this program and work together on the implementation of the planting initiatives down to the jail units in the region to ensure sufficient quality food sources in the BJMP manned jail facilities,” he said.
Under the program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) provides technical assistance, seeds and seedlings, fertilizers and pesticides. On the other hand, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) extends training and support in carrying out the initiative.
