A beacon of hope, joy in Bacolod jail

BACOLOD CITY – The spirit of Christmas knows no boundaries, even if you are behind bars.

A ray of hope shone on the 830 detainees at the Metro Bacolod District Jail’s Male Dormitory Annex in Brgy. Handumanan as they lit up the Christmas Village within the jail compound this week, illuminated by lanterns or parols made from recycled and indigenous materials.

Not only it gives them hope but it also brings income as the variety of parols, which the groups of PDLs designed and handcrafted are sold.

Jail warden Norberto Miciano said that this is one of the rehabilitation programs for detainees to boost their creativity by using resources available to them and likewise make them feel the Christmas vibe.

“We want them to feel that they are still important to the society, that when they get out of the facility they will be accepted,” Miciano said.

“If they feel they are an outcast, the tendency is they will go back here again,” he added.

This is the first time that the annex compound put up a Christmas village that features the fancy parols of each of the 11 dormitories that are lit up every night, starting Dec. 4 until the first week of January.

Apart from the lanterns, the Christmas Village also features a giant Christmas tree made by upcycled MassKara Festival props, the miniature Bacolod Government Center, and a lifesized chicken inasal, which are all Bacolod City icons.