Inmates mark Prison Awareness Week

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City jail inmates will culminate the 28th Prison Awareness Week this Sunday with various seminars and workshops on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and on how to respond to accidents, among others.

Inspector Gil Inopia Jr., the jail’s warden, told reporters all 1,220 inmates are expected to participate in these trainings this Sunday.

The weeklong activities center on the theme: “Lord, grant that I may see You clearly and love You more dearly in the poor.”

Before the trainings and other activities on Sunday, a Holy Mass will be offered to be officiated by Monsignor Dennis Villarojo.

Inopia said they celebrate the prison week annually to pump in some spirituality into the inmates, hoping to strengthen them while in prison and most importantly, when they go out as freemen.

“Kinahanglanon pud ni para sa spiritual well-being sa mga inmates. Kung aduna silay kasaypanan, we have to help them spiritually para magamit nila everyday ug kung makagawas na,” he said.

Next week, the inmates will also celebrate the National Correctional Consciousness Week which the jail warden said is also packed with sports activities, contests and other events for them to join in.

The sports competition will involve games of basketball, chess and dama. There will also be a “Handurawan,” a singing contest of pure Visayan songs, a videoke-singing contest, parlor games, comical skits and a medical mission.

Inopia said these activities will run from Monday to Sunday next week.  (FREEMAN)