Iwahig prisoners turn over new leaf through farming

By December, persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan expect to harvest and sell the crops they planted as part of a government rehabilitation program that turns some of the country's prisoners into farmers.

According to a "24 Oras report by Saleema Refran, the program is a joint effort of the Department of Justice and the Department of Agriculture, which gives the PDLs the task of cultivating some 500 hectares of land in the penal farm.

“Part po yan ng reformation program nila yan, sa work and livelihood natin. Para matuto sila. So that pag marelease sila, mayroon na silang kaalaman sa pag-fa-farm,” said IPPF Superintendent Chief Inspector Gary Garcia.

(This is part of their reformation program,.. So that when they get released, they already have knowledge on how to farm.)

Through the program, the IPPF is expecting to harvest tons of rice and high-value crops which can be sold and which can augment the PDL's food supply.

Over 7,500 tilapia fry from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources are also being cultivated in the IPPF’s Aquaculture Pond.

“Pagka marami na po tayong supplies dito, we will do our best na yung talagang presyo, mapababa po natin. Yun yung agreement namin with the DA,” Garcia said.

(If we already have a lot of supplies, we will do our best to lower the price. That’s our agreement with the DA,)
“We are expecting more or less P3M sa pagbebenta ng livestock namin this year. Lahat ng net proceeds nyan ay mapupunta sa fund. 'Yun ang ginagamit namin pang-alalay sa mga pangangailangan ng mga PDL,” IPPF Work and Livelihood Chief Inspector Teddy Martin.

(We are expecting more or less P3M for selling our livestock this year. All the net proceeds will go to the fund. That is what we use to augment the needs of our PDLs.

The IPPF currently holds 3,373 detainees, including the 1,000 currently transferred from the Bilibid Prison and the Correctional Institute for Women. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News