BANDILA Aftercare Program Formalized Through Landmark Partnership for PDL Reintegration

In a significant step toward restoring dignity and rebuilding lives, the BANDILA Aftercare Program was officially formalized last July 17, 2025, through a ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology National Capital Region (BJMPRO-NCR), the Prisoners Enhancement and Support Organization, Inc. (PRESO, Inc.), and the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban.

BANDILA, which stands for Bagong Buhay ng Dating Inalisan ng Laya, aims to provide a holistic reintegration program for former Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL). The program delivers pre-release intervention and crucial aftercare services such as job assistance, emotional and psychosocial support, values formation, and family reintegration. These interventions are essential in preventing relapse and recidivism, helping returning citizens start anew with dignity and hope.

Held at the BJMPRO-NCR Main Conference Hall, the MOA signing was led by JCSUPT Baby Noel P. Montalvo, TLPE, BJMPRO-NCR Regional Director; JSUPT Michelle N. Bonto, Chief, RWDD; JSUPT Lino M. Soriano, Warden, Manila City Jail-Male Dormitory; and PRESO Inc. representatives Ms. Teresita D. Gomez and Sr. Tammy Saberon.

Rooted in the goals of the BJMP’s J.A.I.L. Plan 2040, the BANDILA Program exemplifies the Bureau’s commitment to humane care, restorative justice, and the reintegration of PDL into the fabric of our communities. Through partnerships like this, freedom becomes more than release—it becomes transformation.