A year has passed and we still find ourselves grappling with a pandemic that affected every aspect of our Program tasks as well as our personal lives.
In 2021, there were anxieties and delays in fulfilling targets as a result of granular lockdowns, risk of infections, limited mobility in monitoring and follow-ups. Jail facilities remained closed to families and volunteers’ physical activities. Periodic closure of courts and concerned offices continued hence very few, if at all there are, virtual hearings were conducted.
Nevertheless, we managed to cope and adjust to varying situations/challenges at hand.
COMMUNITY BAIL BOND PROGRAM
Under the Community Bail Bond (CBB) Program, we received a total of 82 referrals of PDL from 18 jail facilities, 7 police stations, 3 youth centers, and 3 correctional facilities that sought our paralegal/legal assistance. Of these, 16 PDL were eventually bailed and 13 PDL were assisted in various ways, e.g., facilitating grant of probation, mediation, release on recognizance, provisional dismissals, acquittals and other petitions including follow-ups of hearings.
Total Accumulated bail funds spent amounted to ₱1.2M; Of this, ₱249K were refunded.
Those PDL released in 2020 until 2021 were monitored more than 1,500 times by our 3 Case Workers only. 13 of them are already considered as “Program Graduates” i.e., no need for monitoring as their cases have been completely resolved and that they are, more or less already able to reintegrate into their community and lead better lives.
A total of 7 CBB clients were provided with capital loan assistance by our partner, El Proveedores Foundation.
ADVOCACIES
Beyond the CBB Program, we were also able to continue with our other advocacies despite the pandemic. We actively participated in 14 gatherings i.e. agency consultations, forums and meetings. Notably, the Classification Risk Assessment and Case Management Program (CRACMP) which focuses on the risk assessment of PDL is one of foremost PRESO advocacies.
TRAININGS
Our head consultant, Prof. Raymund E. Narag conducted 7 major training webinar-workshops for correctional officers and other partners in the criminal justice system.
RESOURCE MOBILIZATION
Despite limited resources, we were also able to coordinate with other NGOs and volunteers for much needed crisis intervention and other supplies and assistance needed by jail facilities.
We received and distributed 68 “We Care Packages” as early Christmas gifts for active program client-beneficiaries. Each package of various grocery items is valued at more or less, ₱1,500.
We also received a total of ₱11,000 for purchase of goods and prizes during the celebration of the National Correctional Consciousness Week/Prison Awareness Week (NACOCOW-PAW) and the Christmas Celebrations. Part of this amount was the ₱5,000 donation of the Knights of Columbus thru Com. Rene Sarmiento. Actual goods worth about ₱15,000 were also received. All these benefitted about 3,000 PDL in 7 jails in NCR.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
PRESO, Inc. staff attended two Seminars that aimed to enhance skills appropriate to communicating with PDL and their families.
Amidst the uncertainties and anxiety that the year brought, our PRESO workers, because of their resolve to promote justice thru releases of PDL and early disposition of their cases, strived hard to cope and learn. They encountered all sorts of challenges due to the prolonged pandemic, i.e., the risk of infection, little mobility, inadequate transport, limited court and jail personnel, protocols, delays in communications and securing of documents, dealing with criminal justice stakeholders and time & funding constraints including the limited knowledge in some areas of the bail bond process.
We continue our resolve this 2022 to further enhance our programs and services.
"Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure." - Proverbs 4:25-26
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