• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Justice-Parole and Probation Administration (DOJ-PPA) honored lawmakers and local chief executives in Negros Occidental for their support to the agency’s programs and services during the “Ang Pasasalamat at Pagpupugay” rites held at Nature’s Village Hotel in Talisay City on Jan. 10.
DOJ-PPA Administrator Bienvenido Benitez Jr., assisted by PPA-Western Visayas officer-in-charge Grace Tomaro, led the distribution of plaques of recognition to the recipients.
These included Reps. Greg Gasataya (Bacolod City Lone District), Gerardo Valmayor (1st District), Alfredo Marañon III (2nd District), Jose Francisco Benitez (3rd District), Juliet Marie Ferrer (4th District), Emilio Bernardino Yulo (5th District) and Mercedes Alvarez (6th District).
Other honorees were Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson along with Mayors Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Bacolod City), Nicholas Yulo (Bago City), Salvador Escalante Jr. (Cadiz City), Melecio Yap (Escalante City) Rogelio Raymund Tongson Jr. (Himamaylan City), Benjie Miranda (Kabankalan City), Rex Jalandoon (La Carlota City), Narciso Javelosa Jr. (Sagay City), Renato Gustilo (San Carlos City), Joedith Gallego (Silay City), Ma. Gina Lizares (Sipalay City), Javier Miguel Benitez (Victorias City), and Neil Lizares (Talisay City).
Meanwhile, the Victorias City government sealed a partnership with the DOJ-PPA to implement various rehabilitation programs for 148 parolees and probationers.
Through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), the parolees and probationers will avail of various reintegration programs for livelihood, entrepreneurship, capability building, among others.
The city government will also converge with its partner-agencies for community organization, monitoring, and evaluation.
The partnership aims to accelerate sustainable economic development in the city and promote peace and social justice, the MOU stated. | GB
