‘Kalinga jail not only works to maintain security but helps PDLs learn, earn and prepare for life after release’ - Warden Diwas

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Kalinga District Jail Acting Warden Rolando Diwas said the facility continues to implement programs that not only maintain security but also help Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) develop skills, change for the better, and prepare for their return to their families and communities.

“Ang aming layunin ay hindi lamang mapanatili ang seguridad ng aming facility, kundi mabigyan din ang ating mga PDL ng pagkakataong matuto, magbago at makapaghanda para sa kanilang pagbabalik sa kani-kanilang pamilya at komyunidad,” Diwas said in an interview with GuruPress Cordillera.

Diwas said the jail implements various programs focused on security, welfare, personal development, and the eventual reintegration of PDLs into society. He emphasized that these initiatives are intended to help PDLs acquire knowledge and practical skills that they can potentially use to find work or earn a living after their release.

“Sa ilalim ng pamumuno at gabay ng aming butihin regional director, patuloy naming isinasagawa dito sa Kalinga District Jail ang iba't ibang programa at aktibidades na nakatuon sa security, welfare, developmental activities at integration ng aming mga Persons Deprived with Liberty,” he said.

He thanked BJMP-Cordillera Administrative Region Regional Director Jail Chief Superintendent Delvic L. Oreiro for his leadership and guidance in the continued implementation of rehabilitation and development programs at the facility.

Among the programs recently conducted was a one-day accessory-making training for PDLs facilitated by the Kalinga Indigenous Weavers Association (KINWA)–Etnika at the BJMP Kalinga District Jail in Bulanao on August 12, 2026, as part of the celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Month.

The training was requested by the BJMP Kalinga District Jail through Diwas and facilitated by KINWA–Etnika, led by its owner Florence Amily Ao-Wat. The activity supports Project GANGSA (Guiding Ancestral Nurturing toward Growth, Strength, and Awareness), a culturally responsive rehabilitation program for Indigenous PDLs in the Cordillera.

For Diwas, such programs are part of preparing PDLs for the day they leave the facility—not only by helping them change their outlook, but also by giving them practical skills that may help them find employment or establish livelihood opportunities and support themselves and their families after returning home.

According to the BJMP Kalinga District Jail, Project GANGSA is implemented across BJMP-CAR jail units in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples–Cordillera Administrative Region (NCIP-CAR).

The accessory-making training aimed to equip PDLs with practical and livelihood skills they can use when they reintegrate into society, including in seeking employment or livelihood opportunities.

The training was part of the jail's efforts to give PDLs opportunities to learn and develop while in custody, in line with Diwas' goal of preparing them for their eventual return to their families and communities.