Inmates hold product exhibit at City Hall

CEBU, Philippines — Handcrafted products made by inmates from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Central Visayas (BJMP-7) are being showcased and sold at Cebu City Hall to show the public that inmates engage in sustainable rehabilitation programs that provide livelihood while inside the jail.

The exhibit, which is located at the entrance of the Cebu City Hall Legislative Building, was organized by the Regional Inmates Welfare Development Division (RIWDD) in coordination with the BJMP-7.

“Through this, aware ang community nga ang among inmates sa sulod wala ra diay nag-lingkod nga gipakaon ra sila sa atong buhis. Naa man diay sila’y gibuhat sa sulod nga nag-rehabilitate sa ilang self nga inig gawas nila, inig balik sa ilang family, naa na sila’y panginabuhi. Sa sulod, daghan sad mi’g gi-offer nga mga skills training program,” said Jeramay Retardo-Campaner of  RIWDD, who is supervising the exhibit.

The sales from the exhibit, which opened yesterday and will close on Friday, will be entirely given to the inmates who created the handicrafts.

“Ang proceeds ani, 100 percent ibalik gyud namo sa jail. Mutabang siya sa jail, but mostly gyud sa inmate, kay ibalik man sad siya sa ilaha. Sila ang maka-benefit. Ilaha jud ni,” Campaner said.

The products that are displayed in the exhibit include handmade bead products like bonsais made of beads, miniature Christmas trees, and flowers, native baskets, bags, wallets, and coin purses, paper-crafted miniature ships, and furniture made of molave and acacia.

Campaner said she is not setting expectations for this year's profits but said the inmates earned a total of P300,000 from last year's exhibit.

“Actually, wala jud ko ga-expect og pila. Kung pila ray mahalin ani. Kay actually, this is not only for income-generating. Ang amo gyu’g sige og advocate is to create awareness to the community nga ang among mga inmate, they are into rehabilitation program nga sustainable,” she said.

Danilo Labrador, a Cebu City Hall employee, has already bought a bonsai tree made of beads.

“Affordable kaayo. Nindot gyud ang ilang mga display kay ma-attract gyud ang mga taw ba. Kahibaw na mi nga gikan ni sa jail, sa mga inmate, nga sila gyu’y naka-trabaho niini. Dako kaayo ni'g tabang sa ilaha, kay gawas nga naningkamot sila nga naa sila’y produkto, maka-kwarta sila sa ilahang binuhatan ba,” Labrador said.

Godofredo Payusan and his wife, who were at the City Hall yesterday to pay taxes, showed interest in a dining set made of Molave.

“Gwapo ni, pwede na ni pang export. Well-trained kaayo ang nag-buhat ba. Dako kaayo’g ikatabang sa ila (inmates). Quality kaayo ang pagka-buhat. Lig-on nya presentable kaayo,” Payusan said.

Campaner said that aside from creating an advocacy for the inmates, the exhibit also aims to help them gather income to spend for their families for the upcoming Christmas season.

“Para ni among ipahibaw sa katilingban nga among mga inmates kay mapuslanon sa sulod sa selda nga naa sila’y gipangbuhat. And then at the same time pud, rehabilitation is working truly kay naa man sila’y gipangbuhat so dili sila idle sa sud. And then, for them, ang kaning kita ani ipamasko nila sa ilang family,” she said.

“So mao nang excited kay na sila. Moadto ko'g jail, mo-ana na sila, ‘Ma’am kanus-a naman sad ta maninda’g balik? Kay mag-ready na mi,’” she added. (FREEMAN)