Baguio jailbirds’ products enjoy brisk sales

By Eileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Persons deprived of liberty at the Baguio City Jail enjoyed brisk sales during the first day of their livelihood product display and trade fair last Nov. 27.

Female Dorm Warden April Rose Ayangwa said that half-day alone female PDLs realized total sales of almost P18,000 on the first day with P10,000 from lantern and gift products (Christmas tree decorations, bags, purses, keychains, bonsai beads, mugs with rattan holders and pillows), P4,600 from breads and pastries and P2,700 from personal services (manicure/pedicure and foot spa).

The male PDLs also had a good turn-out of customers, according to male warden Crispin Dornagon whose wards sold lanterns, resin and wire sculptures and accessories, coin banks designed with either resin of colored sand, bronze artifacts and new designs of tamboocraft.

The fair which will have a rerun on Dec. 4 and 11 at 1-5 p.m. was themed, “Suporta Mo sa Produktong Piitan Hatid ay Kasiyahan sa Pamilyang Nangangailangan.”

Ayangwa said proceeds of the three-day fair will go to their Home Visitation Program of the ladies dorm which benefits two to three indigent families of their wards each month.

The year-round program which carries the theme, “Pag-aaruga  Ko, Kasama Pamilya Mo” aims to extend food and other assistance to the families of the PDLs with the help of the different service providers led by inter-faith groups.

To date they have served 28 families who belong to the “WWW” or “Walang-Walang-Wala” criterion coined under the program, according to Ayangwa.

Each family recipient usually gets P8-P10,000 worth of assistance.

The proceeds of the fair will benefit another three families this Christmas.

For the male PDLS, Dornagon said the sales were being negotiated and managed individually by the inmates also for the benefit of their own families.

 Part of the funds will also go to the improvement of the Livelihood Service Center inside the facility to boost their production.

Ayangwa and Dornagon again appealed to residents to patronize the products to help the inmates in their livelihood programs as part of the various reformatory programs of the facility. 

Currently, the male dorm has a population of 499 while the female dorm houses 106.