Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary for International Affairs, Attached and Supervised Agencies, Emmeline Aglipay-Villar and Assistant Secretary Elaine F. Fallarcuna, Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) Executive Director, Atty. Tricia Clare A. Oco, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) CT/SINSP Carmencita Bravo, and DSWD Field Office MiMaRoPa representatives visited Camp Montible, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan for a site inspection of the proposed pilot agricultural campsite on April 26, 2024.
“This agricamp is a big step towards helping the CICL live the rest of their lives being fulfilled and productive individuals. I hope that everyone will see that there is so much hope for the CICL and that everyone will have compassion for them,” said Usec. Villar.
An agricamp is where children convicted of a criminal offense will serve his or her sentence instead of confinement in a regular penal institution. It is mandated under section 51 of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA) as amended and Rule 199 of the Presidential Decree 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code of 1974.
The 150-hectare agricultural land of Camp Montible is suitable for agricultural activity, eco-tourism, and rehabilitation and reintegration programs for children in conflict with the law (CICL) serving sentence.
“The physical environment plays a significant role in the healing and successful rehabilitation of a CICL. Thus, the agricamp design resembles a community set-up where the CICL could engage in economic, social, and capacity-building activities for their continued development and rehabilitation,” said Atty. Oco.
Camp Montible is the second proposed pilot area for an agricultural camp in Luzon. The first pilot area is in Pampanga where a memorandum of agreement was sealed between DSWD, JJWC, BuCor, and Pampanga State University on April 24, 2024.
