AS I MENTIONED in my last column, there are two big October events coming up that need some generous funding.
The first one is the Peter’s Prize Summit at the Haw-as Festival in Dumangas.
The other is the NACOCO — the National Correctional Consciousness Week to be celebrated in probably the same days, the last week of October.
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Imagine a town enjoying the festivities of the Haw-as Festival post-pandemic (Are we there yet?) —
Street dancing, food fest, film fest, Oktoberfest, et cetera.
Now, imagine the inmates in the jail without their freedom.
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The very week that we raise the public consciousness about the situations and conditions in our correctional system, we also get so busy with our town’s local festivities.
Jail consciousness or orgiastic parties — which will you choose?
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Now, this is where I go with what I do best: Go against the grain, swim against the current.
Be the madman, be the voice in the wilderness.
Be the new Christ, be the other Christ.
I choose the jail.
Well, at least for a day, or even just a few hours.
***
Clearly, I intend to do something.
Perhaps a comedy relief performance, perhaps a mental health pep talk.
But while I take care of the more intellectual and finer things in life, I also want to do something about the more basic needs of people.
And for jail inmates, this means: coffee (and creamer, if you can afford it), shampoo, bath soap, laundry detergent, fabric conditioner (if you can afford it), canned goods, face towels.
***
It would be nice if we can have some feeding program during the week, even for just a day.
Think spaghetti, think fried chicken.
Think pancit molo, think burgers.
(It doesn’t have to be Jollibee, if Jollibee is not donating!)
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And if you want to go the distance, why not some shorts and T-shirts from the ukay?
I’m definitely giving them my old shirts and sweaters.
I’m thinking of keeping them warm in the cold Christmas season.
Ganern! Advance dapat mag-isip.
***
Speaking of Christmas, this is where I want you, generous readers, to help me… NOW.
You can send money to me through GCash, and my number for this is 09458401594.
Please add in the note “Dumangas BJMP” or “Dumangas Jail”.
Let me explain.
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The Dumangas Jail inmates had a good bangus kropek/ milkfish crackers project to generate income while being held in jail.
Then, the pandemic happened.
And everybody forgot about kropek.
Makes sense, because who needs kropek in times of confusion, and global health crisis?
***
Now, three years after the pandemic, who remembers bangus kropek?
Haven’t we moved on to Shopee, Grab Eats, Food Panda, Pink Panda, Rainbow Panda, and so on?
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The inmates need a new business venture before the bangus kropek picks up again.
Let’s look at the seasonal opportunity of parols, those bamboo and paper star lanterns that so give Christmas its characteristic joy and hope.
The inmates are so skilled at doing this, been doing it for years.
But who bought parols during the last two pandemic Christmases?
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With the kropek business down, guess where the capital for parol making will come from?
From n-o-t-h-i-n-g!
Unless you do your share of philanthropy.
See now where your generosity will come in?
I’m sure your cash gift in December will make the inmates happy this Christmas.
But that’s just a dole out.
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If you give capital money now, you will nurture pride, industry, hard work, and healthy self-esteem arising from skill, labor, and productivity.
And I think that it’s the more important message of the National Correctional Consciousness Week that we will celebrate next month.
***
So I appeal to you: Please HELP, send money NOW so the inmates will have the financial capital to buy materials for their parol making.
Because, common sense, why would anybody make star lanterns in December?
December is when we display them that were made in September/October.
October and November is when we sell them.
Only the very poor buy parols in mid-December!
The rich — they have their choicest pickings in September and October!/PN
