DAVAO CITY – Christmas came early for some inmates of the Davao City Jail as they were assigned to work on lanterns to be used for the city’s celebration of Pasko Fiesta 2016.

Thirty inmates are busy producing 150 Christmas lanterns designed by the Office of the City Architect to be used as street decorations for the holidays.

The inmates work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and are divided into groups: those who shape, and assemble bamboo frames, and those who attach “charol” (colored sheets) to the lanterns.

Ivan, who has been in jail for illegal drugs since 2004, described his work as fun since it makes him forget the loneliness and struggles he has endured for 12 years.

The work, Ivan added, allows him to earn an honest living for his 14-year-old daughter since the Davao City Government pays them P800 for each lantern.

“Uban kwarta ani akong ginahatag sa akong pamilya, naa man koy anak pero wala nakoy asawa,” Ivan said.

(I give a portion of money I earn from this to my family. I have a daughter, but I don’t have a wife anymore.)

As Christmas nears, Ivan only has one wish this season.

“Unta maaprubahan na akoang demurer. Kay almost 12 years nako diri. Gusto na pud nako mugawas para kauban ang akong pamilya,” he said.

(I hope the Court will approve my demurer. I am here for 12 years now. I have been longing to be with my family.)

To use their time productively, Ivan and his fellow inmates are trained under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP-XI)’s Inmate Welfare and Development Program.

“Dako kaayo matabang kay daghan na kaayo ni sila pero bihira lang ang mga dalaw. Naa may mga dalaw pero ang kaning among gipangkuha, kasagaran ani walay mga dalaw nga mag sige og ari sa ila. Siguro lagyo pud ilang pamilya. Sa ilang pagbinuotan, mao pud ning ihatag namo nga privilege sa ilaha, nga naay mga livelihood,” Jail officer Alma Arguilles said.

(This will greatly help them because their families and friends seldom visit them, maybe, because they live far from the city. So, we chose them and gave them the privilege of having a livelihood because they also follow rules regularly.)

The lanterns are scheduled to be finished by November 21.

Aside from the inmates, the City Government has also commissioned the Sidlakan Women Crisis Center and Cooperative for Women to help produce street decorations for Davao, city administrator Atty. Zuleika Lopez said.