The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Land Bank of the Philippines have signed a partnership agreement aimed at speeding up and simplifying the release of compensation claims for victims of unjust imprisonment, illegal detention, and violent crimes through digital banking services.

Under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed earlier this week, beneficiaries of the Victims Compensation Program (VCP) through the Board of Claims (BOC) will receive a LandBank Regular ATM Savings Account where compensation claims will be directly deposited.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said the initiative seeks to ease the burden on claimants and ensure that government assistance is delivered efficiently and with dignity.

“We hope that through this partnership, we can help ease the burden of claimants who have already gone through difficult experiences and ensure that the assistance provided by law reaches them in a manner that respects their dignity and welfare,” Vida said.

LandBank Executive Vice President Marilou Villafranca said the state-run bank remains committed to supporting the DOJ beyond financial transactions, including possible collaborations involving insurance, financial education, and scholarship programs for qualified beneficiaries.

“For Land Bank, it reaffirms our role as the government partner in financial inclusion, ensuring that public funds are rendered with integrity and efficiency while remaining grounded in the real impact on caring for individuals and families,” Villafranca said.

Also present during the signing were DOJ officials, including Undersecretaries Deo Marco, Garney Candelaria, Ian Norman Dato, Majken Anika Gran-Ong, and Margarita Gutierrez; Assistant Secretaries Maria Elisa Germar, Robert Nomar Leyretana, and Francis John Tejano; as well as OIC-Prosecutor General and BOC Chairman Miguel F. Gudio Jr.

The Board of Claims serves as the implementing body of the VCP and was established under Republic Act 7309, also known as the law creating a Board of Claims under the DOJ for victims of unjust imprisonment or detention and victims of violent crimes.