FOR the second year, SunStar Bacolod and its partner, Rotary Club of Bacolod East (RCBE), held a gift-giving activity through their “Share the Love this Christmas” project.
The activity, held on December 9, was part of this publication’s eighth anniversary celebration.
This year’s beneficiaries were the 195 inmates of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) Metro Bacolod District Jail-Female Dormitory in Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City, headed by jail warden, Inspector Jean Olive Unciano.
The teams from SunStar Bacolod and RCBE were greeted by Senior Jail Officer 4 Geselle Armentia, deputy jail warden, and the “women in yellow shirts” as they proceeded to the mini-hall, where a short program was held before the distribution of gifts and snacks.
RCBE acting president Carla Cañet, who is also the marketing coordinator of SunStar Bacolod, and Councilor Sonya Verdeflor, RCBE past president, gave their respective messages.
The inmates also joined the community singing of Christmas carols.
Happiness and gratitude can be seen in their faces as they received the gift packs containing toiletries and towels.
In response, the inmates thanked SunStar Bacolod and the RCBE for choosing them as recipients of this year’s Christmas outreach.
They also sold hand-made items to the visitors as part of the livelihood program introduced to them by the BJMP.
Also present were SunStar Bacolod editor-in-chief Nanette Guadalquiver, assistant editor Marchel Espina, and Negros Press Club president Teresa Ellera. They were joined by RCBE president Elsie Jolingan, immediate past president Dr. Benjamin Souribio, past president Rafael Golez, founding president Sonny Elegado and spouse Dr. Suzette Elegado.
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Photos by Marchel P. Espina, Carla N. Cañet and Glazyl Masculino