ORMOC CITY-The Ormoc City Parole and Probation Office observed the anniversary of the Parole and Probation Administration on July 18 with series of activities. The entire staff attended a two day refresher course on restorative justice on July 22-23, 2014 at Leyte Parole and Probation Office in Tacloban City. On July 24, 2014, clients were transported to barangay Naungan, Ormoc City courtesy of the city government of Ormoc which provided two vehicles where the anniversary program was held.
It started with a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Reverend Father Dennis Soon. His homily is filled with inspirational message when he said, “You should value your freedom and the opportunity to be survivors of the super typhoon “Yolanda”. He even cited examples of some clients that he knows and the changed on their lives.
They should always treasure their learning experiences while they were in prison, and to share it to their children and grand children so they may not make the same mistakes. Also to be grateful to the Parole and Probation Office for their efforts in assisting them to change and to become better citizens. A short program followed with an inspirational message from barangay chairman Rafael Taneo.He narrated that he used to be a “barumbado” like the clients of the PPA but second chance granted to him by law made a difference on his life.
Another momentous event during the program was the cleaning of the coastal area of Naungan. Tree planting, consisting of 400 seedlings of miape and pagatpat, was also held as part of the PPA founding anniversary. (NELIDA M. PALCONITE, chief Probation and Parole Officer)
