This holiday season, Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Talisay City are coming together once again to bring hope and joy through the Wish Upon A Tree campaign, a press release from CHMSU said.
Now in its third year, Wish Upon A Tree aims to brighten the lives and spread the spirit of giving to 187 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), said Jail Warden CINSP Kevin Bonilla in a planning meeting at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) on November 12.
The holiday tree adorned with the wishlist ornaments prepared by the PDLs at BJMP Talisay will be on display at the CHMSU Talisay Campus starting from November 14 until December 10.
“We encourage CHMSU students, employees, and alumni to take part in sharing the gift of love and light to our PDLs,” said Rhoderick Samonte, director for Internationalization and External Relations at CHMSU.
Gift givers can adopt a PDL as an individual or as a group.
The CHMSU community also aims to hold a turnover activity at BJMP Talisay to personally deliver the gifts, Samonte said.
Aside from the wishlist, the “Santa Clauses” may also add more gifts, said Bonilla, adding that the most common gifts the PDLs ask for are hygiene kits, yellow shirts, and slippers.
Sharp objects, cigarettes, or other contraband that are not allowed inside the jail facilities will not be accepted, added Bonilla.
From Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, the Wish Upon A Tree will be on display at CHMSU for the community to adopt and become the PDLs “Santa Claus” for the holiday season.
The holiday tree was received by the CHMSU community from BJMP Talisay City during a planning meeting on Nov. 13.*
