John Mark Daradal and the Right to Outgrow Your Past

At 16, John Mark Daradal entered a rehabilitation center as a Child in Conflict with the Law (CICL). Nine years later, he passed the September 2026 Social Workers Licensure Examination, allowing him to pursue his goal of helping young people facing difficult circumstances. His journey raises an important question: Do we give people enough room to grow beyond their past mistakes?

Beyond One’s Mistakes

When someone makes a mistake, it can be easy to let that moment define how we see them. For young people who’ve been in conflict with the law, the label can follow them long after they’ve begun working toward a different future.

John Mark Daradal knew that others might judge him based on his past. Still, he kept working toward something different, eventually earning a degree in social work at Leyte Normal University.

Accountability and change can coexist. Recognizing someone’s capacity for growth doesn’t mean ignoring the harm they may have caused. It means understanding that one chapter of their life doesn’t have to dictate the rest.

What Makes a Second Chance?

During his more than four years at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) in Tanauan, Leyte, John Mark resumed his education through the Alternative Learning System (ALS). He later returned to formal schooling before pursuing higher education.

“Mali, pero hindi pa katapusan. Meron pa akong pag-asa,” he shared.

He saw the RRCY as his “training ground,” a place that prepared him for life after rehabilitation. His experience shows how education, guidance, and rehabilitation can help young people move forward. Personal determination matters, but so do the opportunities and support that make change possible.

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Room to Grow

The story of John Mark Daradal is worth celebrating, but it shouldn’t become the standard for who deserves a second chance. Some will take longer to finish school, find stable work, or rebuild trust with their families. Their progress may be quieter, but it’s no less real.

His journey also shows that growth rarely happens alone. It took education, guidance, and people willing to look beyond a record. Schools that welcome them, employers who give them a chance, and communities that make space for them are part of what makes change possible.