ILOILO CITY- Around 40 inmates of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Iloilo City District Jail male dormitory conquered the stage in a mini-concert inside the premises of the facility.

They headlined the concert"Grasya Kag Bugay" (Blessing and Gift), a sing and dance concert similar to that of popular variety shows shown on television.

Original compositions and religious songs were performed while some inmates played musical instruments.

The concert was a two-day show attended by families, friends and even concerned citizens.

The concert for a cause is supported by the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center (JASAC) and the Archdiocese of Jaro.

Monsignor Meliton Oso believes that these inmates deserve the chance to be heard and to be redeemed.

The concert would help them hone their talents and feel that they are also part of mainstream society.

JASAC facilitated the equipment and the marketing aspect of the show. The funds raised from the concert will go directly to the needs of the inmates.

Currently, the Iloilo City District Jail houses 895 inmates.

As of July 1 this year, it was no longer accepting inmates due to overpopulation.

Inmates intended to be sent in the Iloilo City District jail are instead brought to BJMP Pototan, in the meantime.

Ideally, BJMP Iloilo City can only house up to 149 inmates, according to Vicente Papelera, jail warden of the facility but due to the massive campaign against illegal drugs, the number of inmates grew tremendously.