The Department of Justice (DoJ), in collaboration with a consortium of private institutions, launched Project Arts, Crafts, and E-Commerce (Project ARTE) to equip female inmates at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) with valuable skills.

Officials from the DoJ said that the initiative aims to empower persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) by fostering entrepreneurship and e-commerce capabilities, ultimately improving their quality of life upon release.

Project ARTE stemmed from a memorandum of understanding signed by the DoJ, CIW, and a diverse group of program partners which include Zarah Juan, Mark Bumgarner, Strokes Productions, Halohalo Industries, Zalora Philippines, Pinay Girl Boss, Huawei Technologies Philippines, Smart Communications and Lazada Philippines.

The agreement outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party. The DoJ will spearhead policy development and program implementation, while the Bureau of Corrections will identify suitable correctional facilities and qualified PDL participants.