SHOOT FOR A CAUSE. Participants showcase their marksmanship skills in the 1st BuCor Cup at the BuCor shooting range in Muntinlupa City on March 8, 2024. The BuCor said the funds worth PHP500,000 raised from the event would be used for a feeding program for over 100 learners of Itaas Elementary School (IES) in Muntinlupa City. (Photo courtesy of BuCor)
MANILA – Over 100 malnourished learners from a public school in Muntinlupa City would benefit from a feeding program initiated by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) through funds raised from a shooting competition.
In a news release Monday, BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said the "1st BuCor Cup Shoot for a Cause" held on March 8 to 9 raised a total of PHP500,000 to fund the feeding program for more than 100 "wasted and severely wasted" students of Itaas Elementary School (IES).
He said the BuCor is now coordinating with the school principal Rhodora Mandap to schedule the feeding program as soon as possible.
The school's initial data revealed there are more than 100 pupils in IES who are underweight and malnourished but they categorized them as wasted and severely wasted.
Child wasting defined as low weight for height by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is the most dangerous form of undernutrition and severe wasting is the most lethal form of undernutrition and one of the top threats to child survival as severely wasted children are 12 times more likely to die than a well-nourished child.
Volunteer doctors and dietitians will monitor the progress of wasted and severely wasted children students so they can fully recover from their current health situation.
Second chance
Meanwhile, the BuCor over the weekend announced that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has granted executive clemency to 22 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
Of the 22 PDLs, two were granted conditional pardon while 20 were granted commutation of service.
Executive clemency refers to the commutation of sentence, conditional pardon and absolute pardon based on the recommendation by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Catapang said they will process the release of PDLs Alfredo Bongcawel and his brother Leopold who were granted pardon on the condition that they shall not again violate any penal laws and PDLs Roberto Gaut and Pablito Alvaran Jr. who have served their maximum sentence.
The rest who have served their minimum sentence will be subject to review and completion of their documentary requirements before application for parole.
The Bongcawel brothers, who were convicted of murder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua, each served almost 30 years of their sentence.
Gaut who was sentenced to reclusion perpetua for the crime of murder had had sentence commuted from 32 to 27 years and Alvaran’s sentence was commuted to determinate prison terms of 19 years.
Alvaran was convicted for three counts of violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 533 or the Anti-Cattle Rusting Law and one count of PD 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law. (PNA)
