PDLs in Mindoro penal farm making hollow blocks for repairs, income

Photo from Bucor

MANILA, Philippines — Persons deprived of liberty (PDL) in a penal farm in Occidental Mindoro will begin making concrete hollow blocks, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said.

This was to save money for the building and repair of various facilities in the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF), Superintendent Robert Veneracion said.

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Veneracion added in his report to BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. that the prison and penal farm are also looking into supplying concrete hollow blocks for the needs of neighboring barangays.

According to the BuCor, this will also help PDLs train themselves in the construction industry, generating income for the SPPF.

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The production will also help the overcrowding in correctional facilities by helping them improve their residences, the BuCor added.

Aside from hollow block making, the SPPF is also looking into training PDLs in other areas of expertise such as carpentry, livestock production, automotive repair, electrical, plumbing, and other technical skills.