PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA)--The Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) will showcase handmade products for visitors to highlight items made by persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) during the 29th National Correctional Consciousness Week (NCCW).
Information Officer CTO II Levi Evangelista said that IPPF usually sends products to its national headquarters in Muntinlupa during the NCCW celebration to showcase the products of PDLs. Items are now available for tourists who usually include IPPF as part of their city tour package in Puerto Princesa from October 23 to 29.
“Ito ‘yong first time na ang display ay gaganapin dito sa Iwahig—open sa mga bisita na manood at the same mamili ng products o tingnan ang mga produkto ng ating PDLs. Nagkaroon tayo ng booth dito sa plaza,” Evangelista said.
Booths will feature items produced by PDLs incarcerated in the sub-colonies of Iwahig, Montible, Inagawan, and Sta. Correctional Institution for Women in Lucia (CIW).

Personnel of Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm are at one of the booths highlighting items from Sta. Lucia CIW (Photo from IPPF/ CTO II Levi Evangelista)
This year's NCCW also includes participation from female inmates of the recently established Sta. Lucia CIW. It can be recalled that the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) had two batches of PDLs transferred from National Bilibid Prison and CIW Mandaluyong to IPPF.
“Wala naman tayong nakikita na hindrances, we are excited na makita ang ating PDLs na nakikipagtunggali sa palakasan. It’s a sort of camaraderie towards one another, na magkita-kita sila. We are open naman talaga pero sana this time mas marami ang umattend, manood,” Evangelista further said.
In previous years, IPPF implemented restricted measures during the celebration of NCCW to observe minimum health guidelines due to the pandemic.
The week-long celebration will highlight performances by PDLs and various sports activities to boost camaraderie among them. The penal prison management also included scriptural talk and legal consultation. Additionally, the management of the penal prison offers inmates the chance to communicate with their relatives through video chat.
“Ang awareness ng PDLs, camaraderie ay mapapakita through sports—Pinaghandaan natin ito sa ating PDLs para magkita-kita sila kasi iba-ibang kolonya ay hindi nagkikita-kita ‘yan at least mangyayari ngayong NCCW,” Evagelista concluded. (RG/PIA Mimaropa-Palawan)
Banner photo from IPPF/ CTO II Levi Evangelista