To improve the country’s corrections system while safeguarding and empowering women persons deprived of liberty (PDL) in their reformation, the Department of Justice (DoJ), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) forged a partnership with the Samahan ng mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at Kaunlaran or SPARK Philippines.

In a memorandum of understanding (MoU) dated 15 January, the parties threshed out their mutual responsibilities and goals in furtherance of Project Arts, Crafts, and E-Commerce (Project ARTE) which is geared towards improving the lives of PDLs through nationwide technology upskilling and income generation programs.

Under the MoU, the DoJ is tasked to formulate the policies and roadmap in the planning and implementation of Project ARTE.

The DoJ, through the BuCor, shall facilitate the prioritization and identification of correctional facilities for the initial launch of Project ARTE and its subsequent undertakings, as well as the selection of qualified PDLs who will be beneficiaries of Project ARTE.

The specifics of the respective contributions of the program partners shall be determined at a later date and embodied in a separate document.

The parties will be required to explore the feasibility of implementing Project ARTE as a sustainable, long-term initiative.

“Over the past years, our Bagong Pilipinas government has made significant strides in laying out the roadmap for shaping the country’s corrections system to attain meaningful and long-lasting change, and the progress we have made can speak for itself. However, our mission is far from over, so much work has yet to be done so I call on everyone for their continuous support, especially for our women PDLs,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said.