The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) launched the Blue and Red Ribbon project, an after-care support initiative designed to help released individuals smoothly transition back into society.
In a statement, the BuCor said that the project also serves as a reintegration awareness campaign, aiming to foster understanding, reduce stigma, and strengthen support for released persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. highlighted the project’s inspiration from Singapore’s Yellow Ribbon movement, underscoring the importance of hope, acceptance, and the belief in second chances.
To facilitate this process, BuCor plans to establish halfway houses across all operating prisons and penal farms nationwide. These facilities will function as transitional residences and secure holding areas for individuals awaiting release and final settlement arrangements.
Catapang envisions these halfway houses as crucial support systems, providing resources and guidance to help PDLs successfully reintegrate into their communities.
Meantime, Corrections Technical Superintendent Noel Marquez further explained that the Blue and Red Ribbon project is more than just a program; it is a movement that aims to instill hope in those who have served their time, acknowledging the profound impact of reentry on families and communities.
“By connecting reintegrated individuals with genuine opportunities for employment, education, and healing, the project seeks to address and dismantle the stigma often faced by ex-offenders,” Marquez said.