The male dormitory of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Iligan City has become the first jail facility in Northern Mindanao to receive a livelihood program grant from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

DOLE 10 (Northern Mindanao) officially turned over a PHP350,000 seed grant for the dormitory’s “Handicrafts Behind Bars” initiative on Wednesday. The project falls under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).

Jail Officer 2 Walter Mainit Jr., the dormitory’s focal person, said the initiative is a departure from conventional rehabilitation approaches for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs).

“Through the grant, the jail’s registered PDL association ‘Workers Behind Bars’ will serve as lead implementer, managing a suite of creative and sustainable livelihood activities,” he said in a statement.

Elmar Patilan, chair of the Workers Behind Bars, said the DILP represents a shared commitment to breaking cycles of hopelessness through skills training and structured opportunity.

The DILP, also known as the Kabuhayan Program, is a grant-based initiative designed to support marginalized sectors. (PNA)