Quezon District Jail: Home built by art and passion
by: JO1 Jeniffer S Rimando
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Facebook’s famous “Farmville” is on Philippine soil! And believe it or not, it rests on a CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) jail. Pagbilao’s Quezon District Jail, that is.
What used to be a turf of tangled grass and weeds is now a landscaped expanse of manicured lawn, colorful flowers in bloom, fishparks and abounding vegetables in plots.
It only took more than a year for its warden Jail Chief Inspector Ma. Anne A. Espinosa to transform the facility from a penal institution into a home for its inmates.
Six thousand of 10 thousand sq. m. hold the scenic spots within QDJ.
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A tilapia pen which they call “Fishville” is a great relief to the daily food plan of the jail. Fingerlings come from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources whose office is near the facility.
Different vegetables have their own place in the jail yard. Aligned in large plots are tomatoes, sponge and bottle gourds, onions, pechays, chili plants and others that at times simultaneously grow fruits. Along the sides are papaya trees teeming with big round fruits.
Among QDJ’s best prides are the “Freedom Park” and the Batis ng Pag-Asa. The former offers inmates a feel of freedom while in detention and the latter a sense of hope.
Batis ng Pag-Asa encourages inmates and buoys up optimism because of its free-flowing water. The Japanese Koi, an ornamental variety of the common carp, is grown in the pond. “Plus, itis sited along the route of our service providers whenever they come to our jail and the inmates see in these people and organizations hope of freedom,” explained Espniosa. |
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Inmates as resource
One valuable resource in jails but remains undiscovered thus, unutilized, is the inmates. Fortunately, Espinosa’s resourcefulness heralded the discovery and recognition of inmates’ vast potential in creating and fostering a healthy environment behind bars.
“Each inmate has his own share of talents and skills,” said Espinosa who had to identify and develop the inmates’ artistic gifts and put them to the right work.
These skills help inmates in sustaining their livelihood inside the jail. Arts and crafts like canvass painting, silk screen printing, coconut and paper crafts are among the means of support inside QDJ.
A band was in fact formed to entertain visiting agencies or officials on special occasions. The facility has an entertainment area to accommodate them.
The development of QDJ in its entire splendor is not expensive, according to the warden. She revealed the jail was refurbished independent of outside funding. “We have all the resources we needed for an upgrade,” she beamed. |
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QDJ as an ‘eco-park’
Consistent with the Chief, BJMP’s J.A.I.L.S. First program, Espinosa has all QDJ’s priorities aligned with this concept.
And with BJMP – 4A Regional Director Chief Supt. Serafin P. Barretto, Jr.’s leadership, Espinosa wants to focus on three priority agendas: to transform the jail into a tourist attraction in the province, strengthen the implementation of aftercare program for inmates upon their release, and the “Raffle for Freedom.”
Home to a total of 493 inmates, the jail’s condition is no longer a major concern. The sprawling facilities built within its perimeter are testimony, crossing out jail rehabilitation in the priority list.
Memorandums of Agreement with different companies, agencies, including the local government are already in effect to address the aftercare concern of inmates upon their reintegration with the community.
The MOA provides that once an inmate is released, the jail will refer him to a partner agency or company for a job, contractual or otherwise.
Espinosa assured that all inmates in QDJ are skilled because various trainings and skills enhancement activities are regularly conducted making the inmates ‘very qualified’ once released.
The “Raffle for Freedom” is a fund-raising project with the bailing out inmates as prizes. Only inmates with bailable cases are eligible for the raffle. This project can sustain the decongestion efforts of the jail.
One year of significant strides QDJ has taken in jail management erodes the immortal excuse of scarcity in resources as the main setback of effective and efficient implementation of jail programs.
According to Espinosa, it is her passion for service that makes it easy for her to conceive plans and implement programs. |
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