PAGADIAN CITY--THE city office of the DOJ's Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) will hold a two-day regional Volunteer Probation Aides (VPAs) convention on Nov. 25 and 26 pursuant to EO No. 468 issued by President Gloria Arroyo revitalizing the said program.
The affair will carry the theme: "Volunteer Service: A Choice and
Responsibility" and will tackle on the various VPA programs and give insights for adoption and possible implementation in their respective localities.
To be held at the Liga ng mga Barangay Convention Center, the convention is in collaboration with the DILG, DSWD, PNP, Napolcom, National Prosecution Service, Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency.
Also teaming up in the convention are private organizations like the Rotary Club, Lions Club, Volunteer Service Overseas Bahagihan Foundation and the Philippine Association of Volunteer Effort.
The said groups and government agencies are the signatories of an agreement with the PPA. The event will convene 165 VPAs representing all field offices of the PPA in Region 9, which covers Zamboanga Peninsula, including the provinces of Isabela, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi.
Also expected to come are the different provincial and city officials of the Zamboanga Peninsula, said Edna Godoy, chief probation and parole officer.
Activities in the said convention seeks to strengthen community involvement in crime prevention, treatment of offenders and the administration of the criminal justice system as pursued by the regional office of the PPA headed by RD Raquel Cainglet.
The PPA has adopted the VPA program since 1978 as mandated under PD 968.
VPAs are community-based private volunteers who have three actions: therapeutic community and restorative justice. They assist parolees, pardonees and probationers to restore trust from the communities where they live but had once committed some crimes.
They will also assist in the implementation of the programs categorized into economic, spiritual, behavioural and community service. PRESS RELEASE