ILIGAN CITY — History was quietly made behind the walls of the Iligan City Jail–Male Dormitory as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) formally turned over a ₱350,000-worth livelihood grant—the first of its kind under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) for any jail facility in Region X.
This pioneering initiative, titled “Handicrafts Behind Bars,” marks a bold departure from conventional rehabilitation approaches. Through the grant, the jail’s registered PDL association “Workers Behind Bars” will serve as lead implementer, managing a suite of creative and sustainable livelihood activities that aim to enrich both lives and livelihoods within confinement.
Existing programs such as bamboo crafting and recycling of materials will receive expanded support, allowing PDL to enhance their skills in transforming local and discarded resources into valuable artisan goods. These ventures have already begun planting seeds of entrepreneurship and self-worth among participants.
Further broadening the scope, new crafts—such as dream catcher weaving and bead making—are set to commence. These tactile, expressive arts will provide therapeutic engagement and a sense of personal investment, helping PDL rediscover purpose through creative expression.
The ceremony was a gathering of DOLE officials, jail administrators, and PDL representatives, with Jail Warden JCInsp Carmelo A. Corsame delivering a rousing welcome. Messages from DOLE provincial head Criste O. Perfecto and Workers Behind Bars chair Elmar S. Patilan echoed a shared commitment to breaking cycles of hopelessness through skills training and structured opportunity.
The DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), also called the Kabuhayan Program, is a grant-based initiative by the Department of Labor and Employment in the Philippines that supports vulnerable groups—like displaced workers, parents of child laborers, and persons with disabilities—through startup funding, business enhancement aid, equipment provision, and restoration support for livelihood projects. Implemented via DOLE regional offices or accredited partners, it aims to promote self-employment, reduce poverty, and strengthen community resilience by providing up to ₱20,000 for individuals and up to ₱1 million for group projects.
Beyond its immediate impact, the grant signals DOLE’s evolving role in restorative justice. It amplifies the principle that every individual, regardless of circumstance, deserves the chance to build toward a better future, especially when community, policy, and compassion converge.
With stakeholders aligned and PDL eager to begin, Region X now stands as a trailblazer in jail-based enterprise. The journey ahead holds promise—not just for crafted goods, but for lives re-crafted through dignified work and meaningful transformation.
