DESPITE the rain, the world-renowned dancing inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) took center stage during their dancing performance organized by the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office (CPTO) on Friday morning, September 8, 2023.
Reynaldo Valmoria, the jail warden, reported that there are currently 926 detainees in the facility, down from 4,000 when he began working at CPDRC in 2018.
The facility can accommodate up to 1,500 offenders, but Valmoria claimed that Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia intended to keep the capacity at 1,200.
A 90s-themed dance was performed by about 300 prisoners, which is fewer than the 700 prisoners that danced before the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The activity was CPDRC's contribution to the fiesta of the Our Lady of Fatima.
When questioned why there weren't many dancers on stage, Valmoria responded, "It's because time to time manglaya sila, so kanang mga bag-o pud namong gi remand amo pud (they will leave, so the new remand are those we trained every day) gi practice every day."
Dancing will aid in both offenders' rehabilitation and the CPDRC's efforts to reduce congestion, according to Valmoria.
"Through this rehabilitation, they also have a lot of other things to do other than use drugs," added Valmoria.
According to Marty Ybañez, head of the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office (CPTO), public viewings were first made available last February, but it was five months ago that they became a weekly ritual for visitors.
"This is already a regular thing," said Ybañez.
He continued by saying that visitors who want to see the dancing prisoners can sign up for free through the CPTO.
According to Ybañez, there will be weekly performances if there are enough people, about 45, who will register to watch the show.
Arnela Tangkay, the CPDRC dancing inmates' coordinator for the CPTO, said the activity marked the dancing convicts' return after they were unable to perform during their regular Saturday afternoon slot last month as the Capitol officials were busy preparing for the "Pasigarbo sa Sugbo 2023” that was held in Carcar City last August 27.
According to Tangkay, entry to the performances is free, but guests are encouraged to support the prisoners by buying locally-made souvenirs.
Proceeds from the sales will be deposited to the inmates’ personal bank accounts to support them upon their release.
Flor Maribari, a 43 year old inmate who has been in the facility for eight years, said that dancing helps relieve stress.
"Makalimtan namo ang mga problema, makalimtan namo among kamingaw sa pamilya. Kita gyud tanan naa tay mga ups and downs we are still grateful na inspite sa mga nahitabo namo naay programa ang atonag mahal na gobernador sama niini na nakatabang gyud namo." she said.
(We will forget our problems, we will forget our longings for the family. We all have our ups and downs. We are still grateful that in spite of what happened to us, our dear governor has a program like this that really helped us).
Another inmate, Leo Baran, who stood out with his energetic dance moves, said he got inspiration to dance from his family and inmates who cooperated during their practice.
"Naa gyud development sa among kaugalingon, respeto sa usa’g usa, pagdasig og sa pagdawat sa mga bisita,"
(There is an improvement in ourselves, respect for each other, encouragement and in entertaining guests).
The dancing inmates was the brainchild of Byron Garcia, the governor’s brother, during his stint as Capitol consultant on security over 10 years ago.
Dancing made the CPDRC inmates an international phenomenon on the video-sharing website YouTube after they danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” drawing national and foreign media to the CPDRC to cover the 1,600 inmates the jail had then.
The video of their “Thriller” routine, uploaded by Byron on YouTube on July 17, 2007, landed fifth on Time magazine’s top 10 most viewed videos on the Internet in 2007.(With TPT)