Jail Decongestion Program
HLAF's Jail Decongestion Program (JD) has run since HLAF's establishment and has since evolved from a traditional lawyering project into an alternative lawyering program.
We decongest jails not only by providing legal and paralegal assistance to PDLs but we also focus on improving the perspective, attitudes and knowledge of duty-bearers and the community.
Our Jail Decongestion Stories
dignity through freedom
HLAF Volunteers: A Lesson to Learn
What is volunteerism to you and how did it affect you as a person, student, and member of a community? “Volunteerism is a way of
A New Perspective: Jiro Mae Pepito
From May to June, I was an intern at the Humanitarian Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc. (HLAF). Why did I decide to join HLAF? I have
SOS: Philippine Jail Decongestion
In the year 2016, a documentary was released with the title “Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons” aired on Netflix. The documentary featured two facilities from
Meeting the Wallflowers of Society: PDLs in a New Light
“As a society, our decision to heap shame and contempt upon those who struggle and fail in a system designed to keep them locked up
Stigma Shattered: The Power of Hope and Resilience Among Incarcerated Women
“Women in prison are often invisible to society, but they are human beings with stories, families, and dreams.” – Angela Davis The Philippine jails have
Jail Decongestion and Virtual Communication
Many prisons and jails have restricted PDLs’ access to the outside world by prohibiting physical visits from relatives, friends, and even their lawyers should they
Our Accomplishments
1 January 2021 - 31 December 2021
were released through the combined efforts of the partners jails, PDL volunteers and HLAF volunteers, interns and staff
trained as paralegals to provide paralegal services to their fellow PDLs.
trained, capacitated and empowered to provide support to PDLs in their areas.