MANILA, Philippines — Persons deprived of liberty will contribute to food security efforts as the Bureau of Correction (BuCor)’s vast idle lands will be used for agricultural development.
The Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security (RISE) Project was signed yesterday, aimed at reintegrating persons deprived of liberty into society through farm work.
“By investing in these capacity-building activities, we are not only helping boost food production but also giving our PDLs opportunities to realize their potential for positive change and for reformation,” President Marcos said.
The RISE Project, signed in Malacañang by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice, will provide support to PDLs as they improve their agricultural skills and rehabilitate BuCor’s arable land and penal farms.
Around 500 hectares of BuCor’s land in Iwahig in Palawan will be developed into agri-tourism sites and food production areas.
A 30-hectare cashew production area will be established, including a one-hectare edible landscaping and agri-tourism site and a 25-hectare yellow corn production area.
Half a hectare of land will also be set aside for the growing of 25,000 tilapia fingerlings.
A 40-hectare rice production area and 400-hectare forage and dairy production area will also be built.
The RISE Project also promotes the reformation of PDLs sentenced to more than three years.
The memorandum of agreement for the RISE Project was signed by Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, BuCor director Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and Bureau of Plant Industry director Gerald Glenn Panganiban.
“Among this administration’s priorities are the attainment of food security and the zero-hunger goal under the Sustainable Development Goals,” Marcos said.