What has been done:
We start the second half of the year with our Community Bail Bond program in full swing even as we explore future partnerships and endeavors for the benefit of Persons Deprived of Liberty. Our Program Field Officers continued with their regular activities that included conducting weekly monitoring/home visits of successfully released participants, providing guidance and updating the steps they are taking towards becoming productive members of their communities.
Aside from the weekly monitoring of our released Participants, our Program Field Officers likewise were unfailing in conducting initial home and barangay visits for applicants, coordinating with barangay officials & PAO lawyers, and the processing of bail for CBB Applicants.
Ten of our CBB Participants had scheduled hearings for the period covered. Three hearings pushed through while the other seven were postponed/reset for various reasons.
For this period, we were able to successfully release three CBB Participants from detention. All were released through bail. They join the 178 other CBB Participants that have been released, all of whom we are assisting towards community reintegration.
Our CBB Team took full advantage of having a much needed R&R with Chief Consultant, Dr. Raymund Narag before he returns to the US.
Last July 13 we held our annual Kumustahan at Ugnayan gathering with our CBB clients. It was a day filled of fellowship that allowed fellow CBB clients to meet each other and share experiences, hopes and dreams.
CBB participants joined the coaching sessions conducted by our partner, CIVY as part of the Work Anywhere Master Course program they are providing.
Last July 17-19 we conducted the "Principles of Effective Jail Management" workshop for officers and staff of Bacoor City Jail. Representatives from other Cavite City jails also took part in the enlightening training.
Our partnership with Bro. Emman Soabas of the CBCP-Commission on Biblical Apostolate continues with the conduct of weekly values formation sessions for selected BJMP jails.
For the month, Dr. Raymund Narag continued with his various engagements with several agencies within the criminal justice pillar.
As of August 2, there have been 467 individuals referred to our program coming from 24 city jail facilities, 2 provincial jail facilities, 17 police stations, 3 youth centers, 3 correctional facilities, and 3 national agencies. Of this number 241 had been interviewed. Of the interviewed, 127 had been successfully bailed out while another 54 had been released through other legal means.
More significantly, we have a total of 55 CBB Participants who have successfully graduated from the CBB Program. We consider participants as having successfully graduated from the Program after their cases have been closed, and at least another six months of monitoring have elapsed. Throughout this period, they must have shown to be responsible members of their community and can lead productive lives.
With their release, the government has now saved Php 3,833,670.00. This is computed by adding the amount budgeted per day (PhP70 for food) per PDL multiplied by the number of days since the day of the release from jail of every individual Participant. These savings will increase as days go by and as long as their cases are not terminated. For those whose cases are dismissed, served early or whose probation was approved, we expect a savings of least 60 days of non-incarceration.
Additionally, on top of the food savings by the government, these individuals are now back to the community and actively engaged in their livelihood- hence contributing to the economy. We minimized their exposure to the criminogenic jail environment leading to better reentry to the society as responsible members.
As we forge ahead with our Community Bail Bond Program, we continue to learn and re-learn approaches and procedures. And this is a welcome experience for us. We envision that more PDLs and CICLs would be assisted soon with their liberties restored, their dignity regained and that their lives are eventually rebuilt. We as a community have a significant role in all these. In the long run, support for our prisons and prisoners as a whole would benefit all of society in terms of lower rates of recidivism and increased sense of public safety. GOD IS ON OUR SIDE!
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