This father prepares the materials before he goes online to tutor his child
Parents will do anything for their family, especially for their children. Thirty-year-old “Tom,” an BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) San Juan City inmate, is one of them. Through the e-Dalaw program by the BJMP, he is able to spend time online with his five-year-old daughter. “We are in awe of ‘Tom.’ Despite his situation, this didn’t stop him from showing his love to his daughter. With the help of BJMP’s e-Dalaw, PDL (persons deprived of liberty) are given the opportunity to talk to their family through electronic gadgets such as the computer,’ explains San Juan City jail warden Jose Marie Sabeniano.
In Tom’s case, he used this opportunity to teach his daughter, “Ang mga materials na ito, ako mismo gumagawa ng mga ito. Dito rin nanggaling mismo sa loob ng kulungan tulad ng karton, lapis, krayola, saka bond paper. Ako mismo sumulat nito at nag drawing. (All these materials are made here using carton, pencils, crayons, and bond paper. I write and draw them myself).” All these, he makes them while he waits for his e-Dalaw schedule.
Sabeniano adds, “Tunay na nakakapagbigay ito ng inspirayon sa lahat, hindi lamang sa kapwa niya preso. Napukaw ang aming atensyon sa kanyang tunay na pagmamahal (It inspires everyone, not just his inmates. His love for his family caught our attention).” He also revealed that this started in October when Tom’s daughter started school. And because they only have two computers to accommodate 200 inmates, each of them are only given five minutes of screen time. “But when we found out what Tom was doing, we gave him an extra two minutes,” shares the jail warden.
Tom ends the video interview by telling his daughter that he loves her very much. “Mag-ingat ka palagi. Hayaan mo paglaya ko, gagawin ko ang lahat para sa iyo, para matupad mo ang mga pangarap mo (Always take care. Don’t worry, when I am free, I will do everything for you so that you can fulfill your dreams).” BJMP San Juan City supports Tom and all the inmates, “Magkalayo man, mayroon pa ring paraan (There will always be a way, even if you’re apart).”