• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The 14th BJMP Parol Making Contest dubbed “Suga sang Paskwa” was launched at Robinson Place Bacolod yesterday.
Organized by Robinsons Place Bacolod in partnership with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the activity is being held annually, where persons deprived of liberty (PDL) from the different BJMP District Jails in Negros Occidental participate.
Present at the opening were Bacolod Councilor Jason Villarosa, Bacolod Yuhum Foundation president Katherine Matiling, DYAF CMN Bacolod station manager Chona Gociaoco, Provincial Jail administrator Senior Supt. Marie Rose Laguyo, visual artist Sugar Tonogbanua, Robinsons mall operations manager Mary Jo San Marte, Robinsons mall marketing head Krista Lapore, and officers/ wardens of the different district jails in Negros Occidental.
The winning entries will be announced on December 28.
Gociaoco, who organized the BJMP Parol Making Contest from 2007 to 2019, recalled that during the 10th year anniversary of Robinsons in 2007, she was asked to come up with a CSR or corporate social responsibility project for the mall.
The BJMP Parol for inmates or PDLs became a calling after it gained the approval of then Jail Supt. Samson Abaygar in 2007, she said.
Meanwhile, Villarosa said the city will try to support the PDLs by purchasing their products.
He also announced during the launch that there will be a “Lights On” celebration at the Bacolod City Government Center on December 2 with the participation of the Parade of Lights of STI-WNU.
Villarosa said the Parade of Lights will commence from STI-WNU and end at the BCGC for the “Lights On” celebration.*
