Upon his assumption to the position as
city warden on Aug. 29, 2012, Sala initiated the said program to ease the inmates’ boredom of
being away from their families and to make them productive while in jail.
Sala said the Technical Education Skills
and Development Authority (TESDA) extended training on barbering and massage
therapy to some male inmates.
“I have noticed that some inmates, who
were convicted of relatively minor offenses, have vocational skills that need
to be developed. That’s why I launched this project,” he said.
“I encouraged them to actualize the
learning they’ve got from the training. That’s why I have established massage
and barber shops to allow the detainees to raise funds for their basic needs
and to help their respective families,” Sala explained.
The BJMP chief said jail personnel and
visitors can avail of the massage services for only P50 for 30 minutes and P75 for one hour. Haircut
fee is only P20 for each customer.
The income raised from these services
will go directly to the welfare and development program.
Aside from establishing massage and
barber shops, Sala also formed a “dream choral group,” which is composed of 20
male and female talented inmates. The dream choral was showcased during the
launching of “electronic dalaw” and inauguration of massage and barber shops
recently.
“Indeed, these projects were just a
dream, but now they become a reality,” Sala proudly said.
Sala said he hopes that through this
program the inmates will become productive and better prepared by the time they
will be out of jail and go back to their respective communities.
District Attorney Pacifico Cimafranca of
the Public Attroney’s Office (PAO), on the other hand, lauded Sala for having a
heart for the inmates.
“The person
who initiated these projects is resourceful and creative and who has the heart
for the inmates,” Cimafranca said.
Cimafranca encouraged the inmates to
strongly support the projects so that their life will not be wasted while they
are inside the jail.
(PIA9)