Fifty-seven persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) recently completed short courses offered by the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Workforce Development Program.

The initiative recognized 30 PDLs who completed courses in Digital Literacy and Principles of Graphic Design, as well as 27 PDLs who finished the Introduction to Permaculture: The Ethics of Permaculture and Design Principles.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. congratulated the participants, stressing the importance of accessible and inclusive education in fostering personal growth and opening new opportunities for reintegration.

Catapang also expressed gratitude to UP System President Atty. Angelo Jimenez, UPOU Chancellor Prof. Joanne V. Serrano, and the UP Alumni Association led by President and Regent Robert Lester Aranton for their support in bringing quality education inside correctional facilities.

He noted that this marked the first time senior UP officials visited BuCor facilities, interacted with PDLs, and openly supported the education program.

“Your presence here affirms a powerful truth: that education belongs to everyone, and that no one is beyond the reach of learning,” Catapang said.

Catapang added that the program demonstrates how education can serve as a beacon of hope despite the challenges of incarceration, providing PDLs with pathways toward reintegration into society.

Through a tripartite memorandum of agreement among BuCor, UPOU, and the UP Alumni Association, the initiative has not only delivered academic courses but also inspired and empowered PDLs as they prepare for life beyond incarceration.