MikeLigalig.com

BAGUIO CITY -- Behind bars, some 45 women continue to live a life with a tinge of normalcy, using their time to acquire skills and earn a living for themselves and their families.

“Joy” (not her real name), who has a 16-year old senior high school child she raises alone, is one of persons deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Baguio City Jail Female Dorm (BCJFD). They all look forward to live a normal life after facing a jail term.

She and other fellow PDLs see themselves opening a beauty parlor and wellness center upon their release or simply getting involved in a personal business venture to continue surviving for themselves and their families.

She is one of those at the BCJFD who received a scholarship from the continuing beauty care and wellness training being provided by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Cordillera and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology- Baguio City Jail Female Dorm in partnership with non-government organization service providers.

Each batch for a particular skill has 10 participant-students. More sessions are needed after the graduation and after the trainees have acquired their National Certification 2 (NCII) from TESDA.

The female inmates, many of whom have been in jail for at least two years, have become licensed beauty and wellness practitioners.

Senior Inspector April Rose Ayangwa of the Bureau of Jail Managemeny and Penology (BJMP) said they started training the PDLs many years ago -- focused on manicure and pedicure lessons.

Those trained render manicure or pedicure services to personnel of the jail and gets paid for it. They then went further to request TESDA to give refreshers courses and other beauty and wellness skills training.

“Dati manicure at pedicure lang, tapos dumadami clients, dumadami service providers so we thought of conducting more skills training para mapadami ang services. Nag training tayo and at the same time nag-iisip tayo san sila ipu-pwesto para magservice sa clients at kumita, kasi napakaliit ng jail," Ayangwa said.

The TESDA also provided trainings on facial and body massage, body scrub, hand and foot spa, manicure, pedicure and hair care skills as part of the “inmates welfare and development program of the agency.

After years and months of preparation, the inmates and the BCJFD conducted a theater play fund-raising activity. With the money raised and the donations from friends and other local companies, the BCJFD leadership sought the permission of the property owner of the condemned wooden structure adjacent the jail, for the use of the alley as a livelihood center for the inmates.

Last Sept. 13, the BCJFD opened the livelihood center of the female inmates to the public.

From 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, the trained PDL accepts clients for hair rebonding services for PHP400 to PHP600, body scrub for PHP250, whole body massage for PHP250, foot spa for PHP200 and PHP250 iwith pedicure, hot oil or keratin treatment from PHP150 to PHP250, blow dry for PHP30, hair press for PHP50, cellophane treatment for PHP200 to PHP300, hair trim PHP80, manicure PHP50, facial treatment for PHP200 and pedicure PHP50. Female clients can also accept bookings beyond parlor hours.

Joy said: “I feel very fortunate there are opportunities like these for us. When you enter the jail as an inmate, you think about your family outside, who will provide for their needs. But with the trainings and livelihood opportunities provided to us, we are able to keep our self esteem that despite being here, we can still help our families.”

She feels positive that after her jail term, even if her record as a former jail inmate would bar her from finding a job, she and her son will survive.

“Kung hindi kami makahanap ng trabaho paglabas, sa training namin, may fall back kami at may kabuhayan na naghihintay. Pinag-iipunan ko rin yung puhunan ko paglabas para makabili ako ng mga gamit,” Joy said.

With the opportunity provided, she said they have something to keep them busy rather than just gossiping with fellow PDLs. “This also helps our wellness -- psychologically and physically,” she explained.

Earning an average of PHP500 a day, Joy is able to help her mother support her child and continue paying her Social Security System (SSS) contribution.

If convicted, she faces a maximum of 12 years jail term. She has been in jail for almost two years.

The BJMP gears not only to provide a humane treatment and safekeeping of the inmates, but also for their personal growth and development, to prepare them for the time they go back to their families in the community.

“We do not want them to return to the jail. We want them to have a livelihood so that they can live legally when they go out, when they cannot find a job after their jail term,” Ayangwa said, adding that this is also part of the after-care that the government wants to provide to former PDLs. (PNA)



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