36 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Tacloban City Jail-Male Dormitory have successfully completed a month-long training course on urban gardening, culminating in a graduation ceremony last August 28, 2025.

The said training is a collaborative effort between the Department of Agriculture through its National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (DA-NUPAP), the City Agriculture Office, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). This initiative aims to equip incarcerated individuals with practical skills and promote food security within the community.

Through this partnership, the DA-Regional Field Office 8 (DA-RFO 8) provided crucial support by supplying a variety of vegetable seeds and essential gardening tools, while the City Agriculture Office contributed additional inputs and conducted regular monitoring to ensure the success of this initiative. The collaboration was officially established after the BJMP submitted a Letter of Intent to the City Agriculture Office, expressing interest in assistance for vegetable production.

Training sessions, which began in May, were held weekly by the City Agriculture Office. These sessions focused on sustainable vegetable production practices tailored for urban environments. Participants also learned about organic gardening techniques and integrated pest management (IPM), promoting an eco-friendly and resilient gardening system.

The graduation ceremony was a significant event, attended by several key figures, including Regional Technical Director for Research Dr. Jenny Lyn R. Almeria, Assistant Field Operations Division Chief Romeo G. Delmo, and Regional Focal Person for NUPAP Judith Mendoza. They were joined by officials and staff from the BJMP, who also celebrated the achievements of the program’s first batch of graduates.