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Students of the College Education Behind Bars, the sole educational institution in the country located inside the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in MA Davao City Jail . It was after all the first time they were pitted against each other in a basketball tournament that tested their skill in playing the favorite sport of Filipinos. Atty. Susan Cariaga, vice president of the Social Entrepreneurship Technology and Business Institute (SETBI), said this event is part of the mission of the school to develop not only the academic proficiency of students but to encourage them to be active in sports despite the inherent limitations inside jail, to keep their body and mind fit. With most of the students facing drug charges, Atty. Cariaga said this could also be part of their rehabilitation. She said that these students deserve and should be given another chance. Earlier that day, Nov. 23, the students, all 53 of them coming from BS in Communication Technology, BS in Agri Business, Grade 11 and Grade 12, were treated to a soothing massage by therapists of Vaya Wellness, a treatment facility that uses Pulsated Electro Magnetic Field (PEMF) as their massage protocol.Rajan Sujanani, founder of Vaya Wellness, in an interview with the media on Nov. 22, Friday, said that these students need to feel that they are not shunned because of a mistake they have done in the past and that they still have the chance to reverse their fate.“And you can see how we can transform them into more healthy people,” he said, as he invited the media to witness the event.“They need to feel good about themselves despite where they are now. We provide some kind of relief from the stress and tension hey are presently undergoing,”Sujanani said. Continue reading →

Social Entrepreneurship Technology and Business Institute (SETBI), University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) hold the 2^nd International Conference on Inmates’ Transformative Education for Successful Re-entry on August 14-15, 2019 at the Social Hall of the USeP Obrero campus in Davao City.Centered on the theme “ Rethinking Rehabilitation: Community in Unity, Obstacles and Realities”, the conference gathered representatives from the five pillars of the Criminal Justice System, non-government organizations (NGOs), community leaders, academic leaders, criminal justice practitioners, and students.Researchers from different parts of the country and abroad as well personalities from the Bureau of corrections, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology , Dangerous Drug board, Philippines Drug Enforcement agency , City Anti –drug Abuse Council , selected USep faculty , students and other guests present their papers on the importance of education in the future development of the Criminal Justice System.

The tow days event, which highlights the role of transformative education in reducing recidivism, serve as an avenue for the researchers to share their experiences and findings of studies on prison-based education and other related topics such as drug addiction and rehabilitation. Continue reading →

April 6, 2019
Dr. Minda Rodriguez, an ophthalmologist,Dr Magdalena Sta. Ana, MCI President Dr. Aland Mizell, and Attorney Susan Cariaga donated eye care service to Buhangin District, Brangay Mandug, Davao City, on April 6, 2019 along with a team of MCISA college students organized through Minority Care International Student Association. MCI distributed more than 250 new eyeglasses. MCI extends its thanks to Dr. Rodriguez, Attorney Cariaga,Dr Magdalena Sta. Ana, and MCI scholars for their amazing work. MCI’s goal for this ongoing project is to provide eyeglasses to improve vision and to give free eye check-ups to economically struggling communities. Last year MCI distributed more than 400 eyeglasses and gave eye check-ups for more than 1500 people, all of whom were adults. MCI alumni who are registered nurses gave free blood pressure screening for the community. Many of the people who received the free eye check-ups and eyeglasses are very happy because they can now see clearly as they read. The eye care clinic is an outreach project for students to practice compassionate servanthood, one that draws a variety of disadvantaged people to receive eye exams and free eyeglasses. This was a meaningful project for our students who enjoyed serving to fulfill this community need. Thank you, MCI.

The United States, some European countries, Australia, and a few South American countries recognized Venezuelan self-declared leader Juan Guaidó, the current president of the National Assembly, as interim President of Venezuela while the UN urged dialogue in Venezuela to avoid another Syria, making President Maduro more isolated. Russia, China, Cuba, Mexico, and Turkey, however, showed solidarity with Maduro. Thus, Venezuela has two Presidents, one, chosen by the people, albeit under claims of election fraud, and the other one chosen by other countries. No doubt Venezuela has a big economic crisis; that is why so many people left and continue to leave the country. The economic crisis in Venezuela started with Hugo Chávez, who nationalized the oil and relied too much on high oil revenue to undergird his administration, which kept him in power. But the oil prices dropped, and the country’s problems continue. No doubt Venezuela’s elections were controversial. But, the current situation in Venezuela, calling for early elections, means calling for a civil war in the country. So many countries’ elections were problematic, including the United States with several of President Trump’s aides being indicted for foreign meddling in the Presidential election. In 2017, the Kurds went to the polls in September 2017 to answer  a simple question about whether they wished to remain part of Iraq or to create their own state. “Yes” votes for independence overwhelmingly prevailed at 93 percent. Despite the Kurds being the only minority that did not have its own state, the international community did not support President Barzani. Yet, the United States and Western countries will recognize an individual as a legitimate president just because he has declared himself president without being elected. Continue reading →

Some of the students admit that they wanted to accomplish lots of thing in their lives, but finished very few. That is changing. Most of the senior high school students from Davao City Female Jail received honor certificates from Thompson Christian School. "This is a first step for my future," said one of the students. "I've finally done something good in my life, and that means a lot to me." “This kind of program helps me to discover my potential and believe in myself.” “I don’t think I ever saw potential myself, and this has given me the confidence that there is a potential in us and in me.” “There are other ways to make a living [besides selling drugs or using the drug. College Education Behind Bars has more than 100 inmates enrolled in classes now. I would like to congratulate Davao City City Female Jail warden, Rovie Ann Noe Alcantara, for encouraging inmates to do well in the College Education Behind Bars program. I would also like to congratulate newly installed Davao City Male Warden, Presco Manisan, for his new position and express gratitude for his full support for education of the inmates inside the jail.The Social Entrepreneurship Institute (SEI), by partnering with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and with the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP), has initiated a “College Education Behind Bars” project at the Davao City Jail. Continue reading →