The Lapu-Lapu City Government is set to establish a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-accredited housekeeping training facility for women Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) as part of efforts to strengthen livelihood and skills development programs inside the city’s jail facility.
Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” King-Chan met on Thursday, July 16, with representatives from Radisson Blu Cebu and officials from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to discuss the proposed facility, which will be built at the BJMP Women’s Jail Dormitory.
The city government said the project will be funded through its Gender and Development (GAD) budget and is targeted for completion within the year.
Once established, the facility will serve as a training area where women PDLs can undergo practical housekeeping lessons patterned after hotel housekeeping operations.
The program is expected to provide participants with technical skills that may help improve their employment opportunities after their release.
BJMP Jail Chief Inspector Ivy Christine Manigos said the housekeeping training program will accommodate 25 women PDLs per batch, with each training cycle lasting two months.
The additional training opportunity will complement the existing livelihood programs being offered to PDLs in Lapu-Lapu City.
The city government said male PDLs have previously completed TESDA National Certificate (NC) II training courses in carpentry, masonry, and electronics.
Women PDLs have also participated in skills training programs focused on cookery, bread and pastry production, food and beverage services, and nail care.
The proposed housekeeping facility will expand the range of vocational programs available to women PDLs by providing another area of training focused on service-related skills.
The city government said the initiative forms part of its continuing efforts to provide PDLs with opportunities for personal development and skills enhancement while inside the jail facility.
King-Chan said the city supports expanding livelihood and training opportunities for both male and female PDLs to help prepare them for possible employment after serving their sentences.
Through the partnership with BJMP and private sector stakeholders, the city aims to strengthen programs that provide practical skills and support the eventual reintegration of PDLs into the community.
Photo courtesy of Zonta Club of Cebu II
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