Persons deprived with liberty of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) XI raised more than a hundred thousand from its Kadayawan Bazaar booth last month.
“From the said bazaar, they were able to gather P129, 985. All of the proceeds will go back to the PDLs involved in the livelihood program with nothing for the BJMP,” said Jail Insp. Ellen Rose Saragena, BJMP XI chief community relations service, during Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw.
From the four-day bazaar from Aug. 2-4, the Davao City female jail had the most sales because of their paintings. More importantly, it opened new opportunities to the inmates, as well.
“We found private investors who showed interest to the products of the PDLs,” she said.
After the bazaar, another one is slated by November in time for the National Correctional Consciousness Week.
“The recent one we had was successful but we are hoping for an increase in the turnout of our next bazaar,” said Saragena.
Meanwhile, the BJMP Davao Region also sees a positive impact on the memorandum of agreement with the Davao City government for the establishment of a stall at the Pasalubong Center. The stall will only display and sell products from the PDLs.
“We will be very thankful to the local government if this will be pushed through because the products will no longer be seasonally showcased. Among the issues we have is that civilians are hesitant to go inquire at the jail for the products, so this permanent space at the Pasalubong center will be really of help,” she said.
The BJMP also said that they are open for an e-commerce venture of the product once they complete the quality control. “Currently, we are still at the quality control because we want that when our products will be introduced globally, it will be of a standard quality,” Saragena said.
“We are now canvassing for the products of every jail that can be pushed globally,”she added.
