BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Jail-Female Dormitory (BCJ-FD) launched a new program dubbed, “Adopt-A-Cell/Room”, for the further benefit and rehabilitation of its more than 100 inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
BCJ-FD Warden April Rose Ayangwa made the announcement in Tuesday’s 1st Quarter Service Providers Summit at the dormitory attended mostly by those from the faith community and several government offices.
She said the program entails religious groups to “adopt” a cell or room where they can interact and have pertinent activities with the PDLs on a scheduled basis like counseling, film showing, group sessions, sharing and even zumba if needed. Such activities will be conducted at the dormitory.
Ayangwa also revealed the BCJ-FD’s regular activities for January to March this year that includes regular dalaws from religious groups, soap making classes, counseling sessions, theology classes, interfaith mass, volleyball games, and more.
Proposed activities for January include launching of National Bible Month, etiquette and protocol training, zumba, seminars on smoking cessation and cancer awareness, Bible quiz bee, free chest x-ray for new PDLs, cleanliness drive and pampering of cancer patients.
Those proposed for February are seminars on love, courtship and marriage, heart care and prevention of lifestyle diseases, indoor sports fest, valentine cards making, harmony choir love concert, home visitation, BBQ dinner party, zumba and medical mission.
For March, proposed activities include launching of Women’s Month, song writing competition, movie marathon on women empowerment, skills training on book binding, papsmear and free cervical cancer screening, contests on poster and slogan making, essay writing, free make-over for female personnel, lecture on solo parenting and senior citizen’s rights, seminar on addressing depression, anxiety and other mental disorders.
Ayangwa emphasized the huge role of service providers like faith groups, individuals and other agencies in the wholistic rehabilitation and transformation of PDLs because the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) cannot do it all alone.
She made special mention to the city government led by Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Rep. Mark Go and Vice-Mayor Edison Bilog that has always been supportive of the BCJ-FD’s programs and activities.
Among the recognitions received by the BCJ-FD last year were the DOH Red Orchid Awards for being a tobacco-free facility in the Luzon Cluster and Regional categories both for the second straight year and the Aliw Award for Best New Concept Production for “Anatomy of a Female Octopus”.**gaby keith
