As part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to compassionate justice and inclusive recovery, 25 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Isulan District Jail received their wages after temporary employment under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program held recently, in Barangay Kenram, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
The initiative, facilitated by the DOLE Regional Office 12 (RO12) through its Sultan Kudarat Field Office, highlighted the Marcos Administration’s effort to extend rehabilitative and employment opportunities to the most vulnerable, supporting both reintegration and facility improvement within the BJMP.
Each beneficiary delivered 20 days of facility rehabilitation work, including the construction of a Gender and Development Area, CCTV Command Center, Bravo Post, and a Gulayan sa Piitan (vegetable garden). They received a total of PHP 215,000.00, with each receiving PHP 8,600.00.
DOLE RO12 Assistant Regional Director Fatima Quorayce L. Bataga led the activity and underscored that programs like TUPAD offer hope and renewed purpose for PDLs as they prepare for life after incarceration.
“The DOLE and other government agencies are here to help. TUPAD is just one way for them to pursue their dreams, especially if one day they will go out of the facility,” she said.
OIC District Jail Warden JSINSP Darius V. Tenchavez also welcomed the project, praising its dual benefit of not only providing dignified opportunities for detainees but also enhancing the jail’s living conditions.
Providing assistance during the payout were DOLE RO12 Chief Labor and Employment Officer and SKFO Head Engr. Louie M. Esparagoza, TUPAD Focal Vanessa Gay D. Ramo, and TUPAD Project Coordinator Jizri R. Ganancial, who also acknowledged the PDLs’ hard work.
DOLE continues to expand its reach, delivering meaningful livelihood support that upholds dignity and creates second chances, even for those behind bars.
