A GROUP of 23 women at the Cebu City Jail are now one step closer to a fresh start. On Thursday, January 30, 2026, they celebrated their graduation from a 55-day "Skills Behind Walls" housekeeping course designed to help them find jobs once they are released.
The program, which ran from October to December 2025, provided the detainees with professional training in the hospitality industry. Along with their new skills, each graduate received a Tesda certificate and an allowance of P8,800 to recognize their hard work during the training period.
Learning with a real-world setup
To make sure the training was top-notch, a special "mock" hotel room was built right inside the jail’s female dormitory. The room was modeled after a Superior Room at Radisson Blu Cebu, allowing the students to practice in a realistic setting.
The course covered everything needed to work in a high-end hotel, including:
* Professional room cleaning and bed-making.
* Strict sanitation and safety protocols.
* Workplace discipline and high-quality customer service.
This hands-on experience was made possible through a partnership between the Office of Cebu City Rep. Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” del Mar, Radisson Blu Cebu, Tesda, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
A spark for the future
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival attended the ceremony to cheer on the graduates. He spoke about the importance of these skills in helping the women rebuild their lives and rejoin the community.
"There’s a saying (that goes) ‘It only takes a spark to get the fire going,’" Mayor Archival said. "What you are doing right now is the spark, and you need to make sure that the spark will continue to glow."
The mayor emphasized that even while behind walls, these women remain an important part of the Cebu City family. He encouraged them to take what they learned and share it with others.
Why this matters
Programs like "Skills Behind Walls" are about more than just cleaning rooms; they are about reducing the chances of people returning to jail. By giving detainees real-world skills and recognized certifications, the government is making it easier for them to find honest work and support themselves after they regain their freedom. (CAV)