By Joanne B. Benitez | The Red Chronicles
Photo by Marco Angelo Mercado | The Red Chronicles
“Maalala ako ng magulang ko,” PDL Room 405.
PARAÑAQUE, PH—In the crowded confines of BJMP Parañaque City Jail, each cell holds 40-50 PDLs—twice its intended capacity of 20-25—a beacon of hope emerged through RAVSLAC’s Year-End Outreach Program conducted on December 19, 2024. The Rene A.V. Saguisag Legal Aid Center (RAVSLAC) gives hope to nearly 300 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs).
This initiative began when RAVSLAC’s President, Franz Danielle Dela Cruz, discovered Lingkod Laya, an organization serving PDLs. What started as simple donations evolved into a comprehensive outreach program when she joined the San Beda College Alabang Legal Aid Center’s Executive Committee.
This Year-End Outreach Program which provided essential items through grocery packages and sanitary kits, focused on PDLs who rarely receive visitors or external support.
“When we first started this program last year, our goal was to address a pressing need: sanitary kits. Many of our PDL beneficiaries often listed these items on their ‘wish lists’ as they are necessities they cannot easily access,” added Dela Cruz.
When asked about the current status of the jail facility, one of the jail officers shared that the situation inside the BJMP Parañaque City Jail is becoming increasingly challenging as they usually receive 20-30 new PDLs weekly, mostly due to gambling offenses. The overcrowding of the detainees emphasized an urgent need for immediate transfer to larger facilities.
As part of its rehabilitation and reintegration program, the BJMP Parañaque City Jail offers various activities for the PDLs, including educational programs where they are given an opportunity to complete their basic education through the Alternative Learning System (ALS), skills training where they can have vocational trainings to equip them with the necessary skills needed to find employment after their release, livelihoods programs where they can hone their talent and at the same time earn a living inside the jail facility, and counseling sessions to address their psychological and emotional challenges.
When the Christmas season approaches, the jail facility keeps a “Tree of Wishes” for PDLs to write down what they need. Officials urge families to follow visitation rules and consider these wishes when bringing supplies. This system helps maintain order while addressing PDLs’ basic needs.
The impact of such initiatives resonates through the facility. During the outreach, PDLs’ genuine smiles and expressions of gratitude revealed how small acts of kindness can illuminate even the darkest corners.
This outreach represents more than charity—it is a testament to society’s role in rehabilitation. While overcrowding remains a pressing concern, outreach programs like RAVSLAC’s demonstrate how community involvement can foster dignity and create pathways for meaningful change in the lives of those behind bars.
The Rene A.V. Saguisag Legal Aid Center (RAVSLAC), in partnership with SBCA Institutional Community Involvement Center (ICIC), SBCA SOL Human Rights Center, SBCA Centralized Bar Operations, SBCA School of Law Government, volunteers, and donors, made this Year-End Outreach Program a successful one.
Editor’s Note: The Red Chronicles is the official media partner for the RAVSLAC Outreach Program
This article was first published in Volume XVIII, Issue I print edition of The Red Chronicles.