In commemoration of the 19th anniversary of the enactment of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA) this month of May, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian will lead the groundbreaking of a new agricultural camp for children in conflict with the law (CICL) on Wednesday (May 7) at the Inagawan Sub-Colony in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

The new agricultural camp will serve as a significant step in the implementation of restorative justice and in upholding the best interest of CICLs, according to Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar of the DSWD’s International Affairs, Attached and Supervised Agencies (ASAs).

“This new agricamp will ensure that CICLs will have a supportive environment for rehabilitation and personal growth. We will see to it that the programs and interventions for the CICLs will facilitate positive behavioral changes to help them become productive members of our society once they finally get reintegrated back to their communities,” Undersecretary Aglipay-Villar said.

The 10-hectare agricamp is designed as an innovative rehabilitation and reintegration facility, in accordance with Section 15 of Republic Act No. 9344 or the JJWA, as amended, to allow CICLs found guilty to serve their sentence in an agricultural or training facility, as authorized by the court, instead of in a penal institution.

The programs and interventions that will be provided to CICLs in the agricamp include education, vocational training, psychosocial support, and agricultural work.

The facility is slated for completion by the end of 2025, with its inauguration anticipated in the first quarter of 2026.

Expected to attend the groundbreaking ceremony are officials and representatives of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and Supreme Court of the Philippines. (AKDL)