SETBI College at DaPeCol Campus Awards Seven Bachelor Degrees in Second Graduation Ceremony

This week marked a profound and historic celebration for the second ever graduation ceremony of the Social Entrepreneurship Technology Business Institute (SETBI) College Education Behind Bars (CEBB) and Davao del Norte State College (DNSC). The SETBI-DNSC event took place on August 26, at the CEBB’s second campus, this one at the  Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DaPeCol). After completing the program’s stringent academic requirements, seven Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) were officially declared graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship. They are the second cohort to graduate from SETBI–DNSC College Education Behind Bars campus at DaPeCol. “Prison does not have to be a personal hell hole; it can drive positive change if PDL make it their own university, career training center, or seminary, as you have done.

Dr. Aland Mizell

This degree can improve your life so you can reenter society as a productive law-abiding citizen,” said Dr. Aland Mizell, President and Founder of the first College Education Behind Bars program in the Philippines and even in Southeast Asia. He continued, “We believe that every student deserves a second chance to grow and to build a life of meaningfulness. Our graduates in the College Education Behind Bars have embraced this opportunity with courage and perseverance while also finding renewed purpose in their lives. Prison is a tough place: it is neither designed for reform nor geared toward transformation. To gain a degree in higher education in prison is no easy task; there are obstacles in every direction. But obstacles do not mean defeat. Prison can de a defining experience in your life, but not the definition of you. Your graduation from this program will redefine your destiny. Life is about the choices we make including deciding to use our troubled past to enhance our future.”SETBI’s College Education Behind Bars exemplifies the importance of second chances and personal development. “These men have overcome many obstacles that most of us can’t even imagine. They are well on their way to being resilient, independent, and forward living citizens, and we are very proud of them,” said Mizell.

Former PDL Tupio Graduates

The graduates included 46 year old Rodolfo Tubio, Jr., who said he never thought he would be able to obtain a college degree. “I grew up in a good family; my mother was a public school teacher, and my father was a manager in a buy sell business. Both of my parents worked hard to give us a better future. After graduating from high school, I moved to Davao City to pursue my college education. I enrolled in a Bachelor of Elementary Education program, hoping to follow in the footsteps of my mother as a teacher.  In 2002, I met a guy who persuaded me to take on a part-time job selling drugs to make more money and to enjoy a good life. I temporarily enjoyed a fast and good life. It made me happy. I remembered one time Dr. Mizell said, “Five minutes of pleasure gives you a forever headache.” The guy that I trusted and did a drug business with got arrested. One day he called me and asked me to deliver drugs, and I did not know that I was being set up. He had already made a deal with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and had turned me in. I was arrested by the PDEA and charged under the Republic Act 9165. I spent one year in Mai Jail before I was sentenced to life imprisonment. I spent twenty-two years inside prison. Being inside prison was my turning point because it caused me to lose everything dear to me in this life: family, loved ones, and future, but most of all my dignity as a person. I thought it was the end of my journey. I asked myself what else was there to lose. What else was there true to live for? Prison is an evil place. You feel every day, day after day, month after month; imagine having no space to call your own and no choice over who to be with, what to eat, or where to go. There is threat, distrust, and suspicion everywhere. I was at a loss as to how to keep myself occupied in prison. I gained work as a Teacher Aide. I volunteered to keep myself busy. I still felt completely hopeless. But God wasn’t

“In 2019, SETBI-DNSC came to DaPeCol. At that point, we were serving time because we belonged to the Education Section under Ma’am Obenza. They opened an opportunity by conducting interviews for those who wished to study in college and senior high at the SETBI campus. That was when I first saw Dr. Aland Mizell and Attorney Susan Cariaga. I gathered the courage to ask if I could be interviewed too, even though I was classified under Maximum Security. I was afraid they might not allow it. But Ma’am said yes. I was the last one to be interviewed by Dr. Mizell. That moment was life changing for me. For the first time in so many years goodness, love, trust, and hope seemed to linger in the air again. I felt hope. I started to dream again. I felt God gave me a second chance to get my life together. In an unexpected turn of events, the pandemic struck. We thought SETBI might give up on us—but they didn’t. Even during the height of the lockdown, SETBI remained steadfast in their mission to help us Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) to continue our education. They never gave up, not even in the face of great challenges. At that the time I found SETBI as my true friend. For more than twenty-two years, I had never had a true friend; only survival was my friend.”

“On April 18, 2025, Good Friday, after twenty years in prison, I was released. I was serving a life sentence. I had been locked up twenty-two years. I thought I must do many more years before even being considered for parole. Yet, I am already free. I never felt so much freedom. As I said, the court judge gave me a life sentence; SETBI game a life contract. I became the first person to be released from Davao Penal Colony under RA 9165 despite being sentenced to life imprisonment. I thought freedom was something God would never grant me—but He did. I want the other PDL to see in me the genuine commitment to follow the rules and the real change that they, too, can achieve. As Doc Aland once said, “Your only true enemy is yourself—whether you're outside or within these walls.” After I was released from prison, I continued my education as a student of SETBI in DSNC, and God gave me even more than what I prayed for. He not only gave me my long-awaited freedom but also the chance to finish my studies—something I never Imagined would still be possible. Upon my release, I immediately reached out to Dr. Mizell  to ask for guidance on how I could continue my education. I met with Doc Aland at the SM Ecoland Mall, and he asked me if I wanted to continue my studies. I really wanted to finish my degree. He pleaded, “Please do not go back to your old habits but make wise choices and true friends.” I told him, “Sir, wrong choices and a bad friend cost me twenty-two years of my life, and I will not allow that to happen again.” I signed a waiver [contract] allowing me to continue my education. In the outside world, time had progressed. Davao City had changed a lot with many new malls and buildings. I had a hard time navigating the city and communicating as a free man.”

“Next, I went to Holy Cross of Davao College to process my Transcript of Records. They would not release it because I had to pay the fee. Then, Dr. Mizell and Attorney Cariaga helped with the release of my record from Holy Cross, and he gave me the opportunity to work at SETBI Care. Sir Julius also helped me learn how to make soup. I was so grateful, and so was my family, because that job helped me to continue my education and allowed me to support my child and provide for my family. In conclusion, everything happens to us for a reason. I can never compensate for the lost years of my life. Sometimes, as an individual, our mistake can cost us very dearly, and we have to pay for them. That’s what I paid for, my poor choice. Also, Dr. Mizell, always says, “If you learn from your mistake, it is no longer a mistake but is a success.” I learned my lesson  that not everybody is your friend. Just because someone hangs around you and laughs with you does not mean they are there for you. Just because they say they have got your back does not mean they won’t stab you in it. People can pretend well. Be wise, because a tree is known by its fruit, so look at what their life produces and know your circle. At the end of day real situations expose fake people, so pay attention.”

“I pray that our beloved people will realize that locking up PDL and throwing away the keys is not working. Giving those who are willing to rehabilitate a chance to go home like me—educated, updated not outdated, with a degree—and believing in us truly transforms us and gives us tools to compete in the fast changing world with skills and an ability to earn family sustaining wages. This is key to ending overcrowding of the prison population. I cannot express enough what SEBTI-DNSC and BuCor’s College Education Behind Bars has done for me. It has opened my eyes to the world we live in, and, furthermore , it has defined the man I am today. I am a free, educated, law abiding citizen, rebuilding trust with my community and reunited with my family—my wife and child—living the life I once thought I had lost forever. I stand before you today, not as a PDL, but as a college graduate and gainfully employed law-abiding citizen, overflowing with gratitude. My heart is full, not only with hope from the opportunities this program offers, but also with deep appreciation for the extraordinary individuals who made all of this possible. I want to express my deepest and most heartfelt appreciation and respect to Dr. Aland David Mizell and Attorney Susan P. Cariaga for your unwavering dedication, compassion, and belief in our potential, for not giving up on us, and to the Bureau of Corrections officials, especially to our DaPeCol Superintendent, Sir Mendoza, for believing and supporting SETBI’s mission and vision. We always heard from Dr. Mizell that without your support SETBI would not be as successful as it is today. Thank you for your support. To the Davao del Norte State College officials, President Joy Sorrosa, thank you for your commitment to delivering quality education. To our teachers, thank you for your sacrifice. And to all those working behind the scenes who helped us achieve this momentous milestone in our lives, thank you very much. I am a great example of who SETBI College Education Behind Bars can empower to take full advantage of a second chance. “

Actor, Director, Producer Montano

At the graduation Actor Cesar Montanos served as the commencement speaker. He remarked that although he has attended many graduation ceremonies, the CEBB graduation was special and unique due to the circumstances of its graduates and their commendable perseverance. Celebrity Actor, director, and movie producer, Cesar Montano urged the graduating class of SETBI 2025 to keep in mind “that your journey serves an inspiration not only to your fellow PDL, but also to all of us who have witnessed your achievement today. This graduation is more than a ceremony. It is a symbol of hope and a beacon to what is possible. It is a reminder that every individual has inherent worth and potential, regardless of past mistakes or crime. You got a second chance to learn, to heal, to prepare for future where you can contribute positively to your family and loved ones.”

Cesar Montano

Speaking at the SETBI College Education Behind Bars Campus at the DaPeCol for the second commencement, Montano encouraged students to be very thankful for the opportunity they have inside the facility and asked students to pray for the nation’s healing, saying that moral bankruptcy is one of the major reasons why the country has stagnated. He said, “If only funds were used properly, many good projects that could benefits the poor could be done.” He cited the SETBI–DNSC Model’s efforts which has given a second chance to PDL and helped to reform our broken Criminal Justice system, and yet uses minimal funding. Montano sees social justice as the answer to bridge the gap between the privileged few and the majority who are mired in poverty. For Cesar Montano, if PDL like SETBI students, could be given access to better transformative and rehabilitative programs like the SETBI-DNSC Model, this nation could still be saved. He reiterated that everyone should be a given second chance because he believes that everyone is capable of being better than their mistakes or worst moment. “We should help them by offering good tools so DPL can reshape and redirect their lives, eventually succeeding through education.”

Also, in attendance were Dr. Aland David Mizell, SETBI’s President and Founder; Attorney Susan P. Cariaga, SETBI Vice President and Co-Founder; Senior Inspector Edgardo F. Mendoza, Jr., President of Davao Del Norte State College, Dr. Joy M. Sorrosa; and to the DNSC administrators, professors; President of Davao Orchard Road Inc, Andrew Bautista; and Executive Director of the Floirendo Foundation, Norman Clemente.  Pastor Gray Galvas.The CEBB program was established to help Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) transition from prison back into society. It aims to equip them with the necessary knowledge and competencies to become productive members of the community. In his welcome remarks, SETBI President Mizell shared a success story of a former student who secured a supervisory position in a private company after completing the program and reintegrating into society, as one example.

Superintendent Mendoza

C/SINSP Edgardo F. Mendoza, Jr. Superintendent of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, said the graduation class “represents the core mission of the BuCor, providing programs and services in collaboration with our partners to those in our custody and care so they can successfully re-enter society upon release.” The graduation ceremony celebrates the academic success of the PDL students and reinforces the vision of reformation and reintegration. Through SETBI’s CEBB, these PDL students are being equipped with the knowledge, skills, tools, and hope necessary to build a better future beyond incarceration. As the event concluded, the air was filled with renewed optimism and a shared commitment to inclusive education, a powerful reminder that learning can thrive even in the most challenge circumstances. 

The success of College Education Behind Bars depends on the wardens and  superintendent. This significant achievement stands as a testament to the unwavering support and commitment of the institution under the guidance of BuCor Director General Gregorio PIO P. Catapang, Jr., the utmost cooperation of the Senior Inspector Edgardo F. Mendoza, Jr., Superintendent, DaPeCol; SETBI College Education Behind Bars Founder and President, Dr. Aland Mizell; and SETBI Co-founder and Vice President, Attorney Susan P. Cariaga; President of Davao Del Norte State College, Dr. Joy M. Sorrosa; and to the DNSC administrators, professors, President of Davao Orchard Road Inc, Andrew Bautista; and Executive Director of the Floirendo Foundation, Norman Clemente. We thank them profusely for supporting our PDL students with their time, talents, and treasures. I know our graduates and current students appreciate their continued support for educational and reformational programs that reflect our shared vision and values of empowering PDL through learning, nurturing them in academic growth as well as in hope, accountability, dignity, and possibilities of a great future.

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