Bill pushed to help ex-inmates rebuild lives

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III is pushing for a more comprehensive and coordinated government approach to help former inmates rebuild their lives.

Senate Bill No. 2281, or the proposed National Reintegration Act seeks to establish a national framework for the reintegration of Persons Restored of Liberty (PRLs) into society through employment, housing, education, healthcare, and psychosocial support.

The measure highlights the need to look beyond incarceration and recognize the importance of preparing people for life after prison.

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Sotto noted that a coordinated reintegration system would help protect communities from repeat offenses while upholding human rights and the dignity of persons restored of liberty.

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He said the proposed National Reintegration Act highlights the principles of restorative justice, recognizing that people who have served their sentences or otherwise been released from detention should have a meaningful opportunity to reform and become productive members of society.

Sotto cited challenges former inmates face in finding employment and housing, repairing family relationships, and overcoming social stigma and isolation after serving their sentences.

“The period of transition from custody to community can be particularly difficult,” he lamented.

While rehabilitation is part of the mandate of correctional institutions, Sotto stressed that former inmates often lack institutionalized government support once they are released and begin the difficult process of returning to their communities.

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Under the proposed measure, halfway houses would provide temporary shelter, food, and other basic needs for former inmates as they work toward securing stable employment and reintegrating into their communities.

The bill also provides for family counseling and psychosocial services during the first six months after release and education assistance through the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education.

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Once enacted as a law, employment and skills training support through the Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will be provided.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development would serve as the lead implementing agency, coordinating with concerned government institutions to ensure that reintegration assistance is delivered in a systematic and sustained manner. /gsg