From jail to jobs: Iloilo opens vocational center for detainees

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Persons deprived of liberty at the Iloilo District Jail will soon gain access to formal vocational training after the Iloilo Provincial Government opened a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-accredited training center inside the facility on March 15.

TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez led the awarding of the Certificate of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Program Registration for the first two courses to be offered at the center: Bookkeeping NC III and Baking and Pastry Production.

The training center will operate at the refurbished Agri-Aqua Research and Technology Center located beside the Iloilo District Jail.

The center is owned and managed by the provincial government through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.

The facility is designed as a specialized training hub that will offer TESDA-accredited programs, non-TESDA courses, and other vocational skills training aimed at helping detainees develop livelihood opportunities and improve their chances of employment once they return to society.

The Philippines faces severe jail congestion, with facilities across the country operating at several times their intended capacity. Providing vocational training to persons deprived of liberty is part of a broader national effort to shift the corrections system from purely custodial detention toward rehabilitation and reintegration.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the initiative reflects the provincial government’s effort to promote “productive detention,” ensuring that detainees spend their time in jail acquiring skills that can help them build a viable future.

“We will convert the Iloilo District Jail into a TESDA training center. Why? Because this is not a jail. Our PDLs here are detention prisoners and they are not even guilty yet,” Defensor said.

The Iloilo District Jail currently houses 1,247 persons deprived of liberty, including 1,119 in the male dormitory and 128 in the female dormitory.

Of the total population, 1,150 individuals are still awaiting trial.

The high proportion of pretrial detainees reflects a systemic challenge in the Philippine justice system, where prolonged case resolution timelines often result in individuals spending years in detention before their cases are decided.

Defensor added that the program supports rehabilitation and reintegration efforts by preparing detainees to return to society while also helping their families.

Benitez commended the provincial government for initiating a program that not only contributes to the reformation of detainees but also helps them become productive participants in nation-building.

The initiative will also include the construction of hatchery and fishpond facilities to support hands-on agricultural vocational training.

Detainees will also be given opportunities to participate in trade fairs and marketing events where they can showcase and sell products made during their training.

Psychosocial interventions are also part of the program to help prepare detainees emotionally and mentally for their eventual reintegration into society.