“This is a milestone for Manila City Jail, the inmates are not forgotten by local government units, universities and colleges, and non-government organizations because these programs are being brought to them.” -BJMP Director General Dial
Currently, the Manila City Jail prison population has risen to four times its capacity of only 1,000. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Far Eastern University (FEU) signed on Tuesday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) called “Project HOPE”, a program aimed to support the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Manila City Jail inmates with legal, psycho-social, educational, medical, and livelihood services.
The MOA, which was signed by both DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo and FEU President Lydia B. Echauz at the FEU Administration Building, is good for two years. The program has been in existence since the time of then DILG Secretary Angelo Reyes.
DILG Secretary Robredo shaking hands with FEU President Echauz
HOPE stands for Helping Oppressed Prisoners’ Empowerment.
Under the MOA, FEU shall undertake the following activities: review the cases of select MCJ inmates and provide them with free legal assistance within the limits allowed by law; provide opportunities to earn livelihood through the provision of livelihood assistance and training; promote psycho-social and spiritual development of the inmates; and prepared and implement programs geared toward health promotion, health maintenance and disease prevention. On the other hand, the DILG through the BJMP shall provide adequate protection and security to FEU faculty, staff and students while performing their respective tasks within the premises of the city jail.
A total of 3,761 male inmates and 709 female inmates stand to benefit from the project which is a continuing community extension program of the university that is being conducted by its faculty, non-teaching staff and student volunteers.
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