The Iwahig Corrections Facility (ICF) has intensified its support to the training program of persons deprived of liberty (PDL) to equip them with skills before their release and for them to gain additional 15 days of good conduct time allowance (GCTA).
ICF information officer CTO II Levi Evangelista said that the skills training program is part of the pre-release and post-release reintegration program mandated by the Republic Act (RA) 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Modernization Act of 2013.
Photos from IPPF PIO Facebook page 
Photos from IPPF PIO Facebook page
“Isa sa programs ng ating bagong superintendent na sa panahon ng pandemya ay may magawa ang ating PDLs sa loob ng piitan that’s why in-ignite natin ‘yong reformation programs natin under external affairs section. Ilan sa skills na ni-launch natin ay massage therapy, welding, at entrepreneurship. May tinatawag din tayo na teacher aide, wherein PDLs din ‘yon na nakakatulong sa ating reformation officers,” he said.
The additional 15 days GCTA will be gained by the PDLs through time allowance for studying, teaching, and mentoring or TASTM under RA 10592 or the GCTA law. It will help to reduce the time of their stay in prison and speed up their releases.
The skills training program launched on June 2 will be participated in by some 50 PDLs from the central colony in Iwahig.
“Iyan ay mga papalaya na para sa ganon ay ma-prepare natin ang PDLs sa malayang society ay meron sila na trabaho. Bagama’t ay napiit ng ilang taon dito sa Iwahig ay ini-equip ng ating skills training seminar para sa kanilang paglabas ay mapapakinabangan nila at mapagkakakitaan. Sa gayon ay hindi na rin bumalik sa kanilang nakaugalian na gawain before,” he said.
“Ini-encourage ng superintendent na mag-undergo ng mga ganitong training na sa gayon ay madagdagan ang GCTA nila at maaga makapiling ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay,” he said.
The new ICF Supt. Joel Calvelo who effectively assumed the post on June 1 said that one of his goals is to increase the number of releases granted through GCTA under his time.
“Ito ay na-pending gawa ng controversy. Noong bumaba na ang revised guidelines ng (RA) 10592, ongoing na ito (computation). We believe, before the end of this year ay marami ang makaka-avail ng GCTA nito. Nadi-delay lang dahil ‘yong magsi-seminar dito from NHQ, mahirap din kasi ngayong pandemya, pero through zoom, ito ang ginagawa natin ngayon,” he said.
Aside from the skills training program, the involvement of PDLs in the rice production program of ICF in utilizing 60-hectare land areas in Montible and Iwahig will also add days to their GCTA, Evangelista added.
