The first-ever Agricultural Camp for Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) broke ground Wednesday at the Inagawan Sub-Colony of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, marking the long-delayed realization of a plan that’s been 50 years in the making.

The event was attended by Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr., Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, and Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

Catapang said the AgriCamp will be established on a 150-hectare lot donated by BuCor. It is envisioned as a pioneering rehabilitation and reintegration facility in line with Section 15 of Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA), as amended. The facility will offer an alternative to incarceration, allowing CICLs who are found guilty to serve their sentence in an agricultural or vocational training setting instead of confinement in a regular penal institution.

“The AgriCamp will provide a structured and ecologically sustainable environment where intervention programs such as formal education, vocational and agricultural training, psychosocial support, and life skills development will be implemented under the careful supervision of the DSWD,” Catapang said.

He added that the facility represents a critical shift away from traditional incarceration methods and will support the growth of young individuals into responsible citizens.

According to a memorandum of agreement signed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), BuCor, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in February 2025, DSWD will provide the funds, while BuCor will operate and maintain the AgriCamp. DPWH will handle the construction work.

The P90 million AgriCamp is expected to be completed by early 2026.