MANILA – The new building for the Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) College Education Behind Bars (CEBB) program at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Panabo City, Davao del Norte is set to open in February, BuCor director general Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said on Friday.
In a statement, Catapang said the PHP30-million CEBB building has two classrooms designated for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) eyeing entrepreneurship courses while in detention.
“This is a good opportunity for PDLs to pursue college education and bring home a college diploma that will equip them and be ready for the outside world once they complete serving their sentence,” he said.
“Our PDLs are the most stigmatized members of the community and earning a degree will break that barrier,” he added.
Catapang said the construction of the building started in 2019 and was funded by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and donations through the Social Entrepreneurship Technology and Business Institute (SETBI).
SETBI is a non-stock, non-profit organization that aims to foster social entrepreneurship by uniting creative individuals to address community issues. It focuses on applying principles of social entrepreneurship, business development, and innovation to enhance the well-being of others.
SETBI, according to Catapang collaborated with the BuCor in 2019 to extend its innovative education program and solidified their partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement signed by then BuCor director general and now Senator Bato dela Rosa, then DDB Secretary Catalino S. Cuy, SETBI president Dr. Aland D. Mizell, and SETBI vice president Atty. Susan P. Cariaga.
He said the new building is designed to accommodate a minimum of forty students per room to ensure adequate space for the educational activities and needs of the students enrolled in the program.
For School Year 2023-2024, he said the Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship program has initial enrollees of 20 students for the First Year College, and 18 students for the Fourth Year College.
Meanwhile, the Senior High School department has forty 40 enrollees in Grade 11, and 10 in Grade 12. There is also one student enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Technology program.
Catapang said before the construction of the building, classes were held in the Visiting Hall of the Medium Security Compound.
Based on the report of acting DPPF superintendent Corrections Senior Inspector Edgardo F. Mendoza Jr. to Catapang, seven PDLs have completed their Senior High School program for academic year 2021-2022, and three for school year 2022-2023.
There are no college-level graduates yet as the program is still in progress. (PNA)
