Prison Experience
Today was rather tiring yet enlightening. I went to Horseshoe village today to meet Tin and the French nuns. We were supposed to go together to Manila Rehabilitation Youth Center in Ghetto Manila to teach some juvenile delinquents there. Our call time was 8:30 but I arrived sa Horseshoe ng 7:00. O well nothing changes... that's me, always the early bird. The nuns however, were very accomodating... and they're also very pretty! :) Most of them came from European countries. The first one I met was Sister Rachel and she's from New Zealand. Another one was Sister Leticia from Poland... Basta... I like their aura... very holy and very friendly.
Tin arrived on time and after chatting for about 30 minutes, we then transferred locations to meet Ate Sophie, one of the head tutors. All I can say is that Ate Sophie should also be a nun. Kaugali niya yung mga French nuns. Anyways, she oriented me on what to do and what to expect at the prison. We then waited for TJ... then, we were on our way.
The trip was an amazing race on steroids. From the village, we walked all the way to the Betty Go-Belmonte Station of the LRT. The LRT that time wasn't packed with people. Then we went down at Recto to transfer lines. This was the HELL part. The line there was very very ancient. Ang dami pang tao... parang World Youth Day. Male and female passengers were also segregated. Buti nalang nandun si TJ kaya at least may kakilala akong kasama. So from Recto, we went down sa Central Terminal. The prison was just walking distance from the station.
My first impression of the place was that it was very scary and third world. Ang gulo and it's the kind of place that you won't feel safe at after 5:30... hahaha... I was also very disturbed by what the social workers there were telling us. Medyo magulo daw yung ibang bata and they'll grab every opportunity just to escape... Moreover, when we arrived there, kakagaling lang sa suntukan ng dalawang bata. That's why the social workers also advised us not to give them ballpens and stuff since the kids are really ingenious. Imagine, they can make padlocks into lethal weapons. Tawa nga kami ng tawa since parang lahat na puwedeng weapon of mass destruction... AKA... papers, books, water, pencils..hahahaha!! Also, the kids there have developed a kind of communication... parang sign language pero sila lang nakakaintindi. Galing!!!
The kids themselves, however, were okay. Most of them were literate and can write. However, may iba din na totally walang alam. You'd also be suprised by their backgrounds. One gay kid there was sent there for stealing something from a friend. However, may kaya yung pamilya ng kid and anytime, they can bail him out. However, hindi siya inaalis dun ng mom niya para matuto siya ng leksyon. Harsh!!!! I mean since his gay, napagtritripan daw siya doon!!!
Anyways, I'm tired of typing. I like all the experience I got today and I'd like to milk it more for all its worth. :) Hahaha. Labo!!!
Tin arrived on time and after chatting for about 30 minutes, we then transferred locations to meet Ate Sophie, one of the head tutors. All I can say is that Ate Sophie should also be a nun. Kaugali niya yung mga French nuns. Anyways, she oriented me on what to do and what to expect at the prison. We then waited for TJ... then, we were on our way.
The trip was an amazing race on steroids. From the village, we walked all the way to the Betty Go-Belmonte Station of the LRT. The LRT that time wasn't packed with people. Then we went down at Recto to transfer lines. This was the HELL part. The line there was very very ancient. Ang dami pang tao... parang World Youth Day. Male and female passengers were also segregated. Buti nalang nandun si TJ kaya at least may kakilala akong kasama. So from Recto, we went down sa Central Terminal. The prison was just walking distance from the station.
My first impression of the place was that it was very scary and third world. Ang gulo and it's the kind of place that you won't feel safe at after 5:30... hahaha... I was also very disturbed by what the social workers there were telling us. Medyo magulo daw yung ibang bata and they'll grab every opportunity just to escape... Moreover, when we arrived there, kakagaling lang sa suntukan ng dalawang bata. That's why the social workers also advised us not to give them ballpens and stuff since the kids are really ingenious. Imagine, they can make padlocks into lethal weapons. Tawa nga kami ng tawa since parang lahat na puwedeng weapon of mass destruction... AKA... papers, books, water, pencils..hahahaha!! Also, the kids there have developed a kind of communication... parang sign language pero sila lang nakakaintindi. Galing!!!
The kids themselves, however, were okay. Most of them were literate and can write. However, may iba din na totally walang alam. You'd also be suprised by their backgrounds. One gay kid there was sent there for stealing something from a friend. However, may kaya yung pamilya ng kid and anytime, they can bail him out. However, hindi siya inaalis dun ng mom niya para matuto siya ng leksyon. Harsh!!!! I mean since his gay, napagtritripan daw siya doon!!!
Anyways, I'm tired of typing. I like all the experience I got today and I'd like to milk it more for all its worth. :) Hahaha. Labo!!!