SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) -- Inmates of the San Jose District Jail (SJDJ) are learning new skills while serving jail time to make them productive and help them get easily reintegrated to their communities once they get released.

According to San Jose District Jail warden Ariel Pabulayan, the skills enhancement training is an initiative of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and their partner agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

A total of 20 male inmates – nowadays referred to as persons deprived of liberty (PDL) – were taught how to weave buli or buri into fans, bags, hats and baskets. Buli or palm tree leaves are abundant in the province. Pabulayan highlighted that buli handicrafts are in demand in the local and international markets, and the jail facility is eyeing to take this opportunity to create an additional livelihood source for the PDLs, 

“May [local] suppliers ng buli na nagpo-provide ng materials dito sa jail [tapos] labor [naman ang] sa PDLs. Malakas ang demand [ng buri handicraft products] kaya nag-train kami ng mga bagong worker para ma-meet ang demand ng mga supplier.”

[We have local suppliers of buli that provide materials to the jail while the PDLs provide labor. There is a high demand for buli handicraft products so we decided to train new workers to meet the demand of the suppliers.]

PDLs in the San Jose jail are also engaged in carpentry, beadmaking, doormat and pot holder making, miniature house making, and furniture-making. They also produced Christmas lanterns for the recent holiday season.

The materials for their crafts are provided by the jail facility. When their product gets sold, the profit is given to the inmate who made the item.

Their products are available for purchase and are displayed at the San Jose Night Market every Friday to Sunday. They are also showcased every day at the SJDJ livelihood display at Brgy. Mabini, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA – Occidental Mindoro)

Topmost photo courtesy of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology