In an effort to foster reformation through self-sufficiency and skills development within the country’s Corrections cluster, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Boying Remulla officially formed a pact with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) last Friday, 15 November to promote the welfare of probationers, parolees and pardonees.
Secretary Remulla personally led the signing of a 7-page Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with TESDA Director General Jose Francisco “Koko” B. Benitez to formalize the partnership, witnessed by Administrator Bienvenido Q. Benitez, Jr. of the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA).
Under the MOA, the DOJ is obliged to screen qualified clients (probationers, parolees and pardonees) considered as the main beneficiaries of the MOA to be referred to TESDA.
Specifically, Probationers are persons who are convicted of a criminal offense but are not sent to prison, but instead released, to be placed under the supervision of a probation officer.
Meanwhile, Parolees are prisoners conditionally released from correctional institutions after serving the minimum period of prison sentence while Pardonees are prisoners released on parole or conditional pardon with parole conditions in place.
The MOA tasks the DOJ to be in-charge of informing and encouraging clients to avail of the various skills training programs such as but not limited to TESDA's short term and community-based training programs with the goal of acquiring technical skills for employment and career opportunities.
Moreover, the DOJ shall coordinate with local government units (LGUs) for possible support and provide venue/facility through its Regional/Field Offices for the conduct of skills training.
Further, the DOJ is mandated to continuously monitor its clients regarding the status of their training in TESDA's regional, city and provincial centers.
TESDA, on the other hand, shall facilitate the access to skills training through the extension and mobile training programs (MTP) of TVET providersand conduct a Training Needs Analysis to determine the skills training programs to be provided.
TESDA also has the responsibility to facilitate the conduct of assessment and certification to graduates for certifiable TVET programs subject to the Philippine TVET Competency Assessment and Certification System (PTCACS) and other existing rules and regulation on TESDA’s scholarship programs, including other tasks germane to their mandate.
The cost of the activities and the performance of the Parties' respective responsibilities shall be for the separate accounts of each without charge to or reimbursement from the other Party, unless supported by a prior written agreement.
"Once again, this milestone in our Corrections system was made possible by the earnest and diligent efforts of our present government under the Bagong Pilipinas movement to reform and transform lives, ensuring that no one gets left behind in our path to progress, even those undergoing reformation and corrections," Sec. Remulla stressed.
"The signing of this Memorandum is a clear manifestation of the DOJ and PPA's steadfast commitment to its mission to rehabilitate and reintegrate our fellow Filipinos citizens undergoing community-based corrections," Usec-in-Charge for the Corrections Cluster, Undersecretary Deo L. Marco highlighted in his closing remarks.
This MOA takes effect upon its signing and shall have a duration of three (3) years unless the Parties or any of the Parties decide to terminate the agreement before the termination date.
