The boom city of Muntinlupa has two kinds of subdivision. In this article, we point to the crying needs of one of them, the ‘subdivision of the imprisoned.’
 
Muntinlupa, 9 July 2010 ---With the rapid expansion of Greater Manila’s  megacities southward, the formerly rural towns there have now became havens of upmarket city residents, including known residences such as Ayala Alabang where former presidents, movie stars, diplomats and celebrities cringe from the smog of Makati to enjoy the fresh breeze of low mountain winds.
 
Muntinlupa is one such booming city.
 
But go back to 1936 when Muntinlupa was a broad plain of cogon grass, kakawati and little farms under the cover of low lying hills, gradually sloping towards Laguna de Bai. Imagine 553 hectares of this natural resource ‘emerald’ curved around a lake, being negotiated to become the site of the national penitentiary. It stands today as a ‘subdivision’ of the captured, up to and including maximum security and political prisoners. Over 12,000 orange jacketed prisoners live here in varying conditions, some free to roam about, some always locked inside, some 700  lingering in the ten hospital wards, one of them a needy IC unit.
 

Eriberto Buenaventura Misa, Sr., first warden of New Bilibid, Muntinlupa
 
 
Entering the National Prisons territory that July 9, one could not help but be struck by the giant image of the face of Eriberto B. Misa Sr.,  greeting you as you entered. He was the first warden of Muntinlupa, when it opened in 1936. He sought to humanize the conditions of convicted criminals. He had already established his reputation as a fearless and honest PC Constabulary Officer,  and had previously served as warden of the  Iwahig Penal Colony in Palawan. Although he was born on July 7, 1889 in Bolinao, Zambales (now  absorbed into Pangasinan), he always celebrated his birthday on the 9^th. And here we were with his grand daughter, Bobbie, a Religious Volunteer,  also born  July 9.
 
While everyday routine in New Bilibid, Muntinlupa can be not only boring but gruesomely morbid, Thursdays are different. Some twenty dark shirted Pastoral Security guides open their large parasols to greet the visitors, 12 men and women attired in beige shirts with purple trim, and marked in large letters, Thursday Group. There is also the counterpart prisoner Thursday Group of 63 blue shirted inmates. The grey atmosphere seems to kindle quickly into a festive air. Prisoners eagerly show us their crafts and projects. Every Thursday for seven years, the Thursday Group has been coming to bring smiles and stories and comfort, not to speak of several large caldrons of home made caldereta for today is the birthday of  Sister Bobbie, one of the dynamic stalwarts of this unique group, and she, who loves to eat, could not enjoy her birthday without sharing it with the prisoners, especially the 700 in the hospital wards.
 
 

Thursday mass is concelebrated by Fr Tito Rańola, assisted by Deacon Leandro Centenera from Albuquerque, New Mexico and a lay minister from the prison.
 
 
Thursday begins with mass concelebrated by Fr Tito Rańola and Deacon Leandro Centenera, visiting from Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Tess. Centy was brilliantly sparked by the enthusiastic singing of the Muntinlupa choir, with guitar and banduria. He read the gospel in Pilipino and helped along with two lay ministers, both prisoners, to distribute Holy Communion.
 

Deacon Leandro distributes communion to prisoners and visitors.
 
As both prisoners and visitors were lining up to receive the sacred host, it was strange to reflect . . . here is everyone going to communion and the main difference is some were caught, imprisoned and repented; and the others are still not caught, and perhaps may continue to sin and not repent! Who then has the greater sin? He who because of poverty, joblessness, hunger or desperation had stolen and got caught? Or he who remains untouched in society and yet may freely steal, cheat his neighbor and his wife?  Tucked inside prison walls can be very sobering. Berting Misa shared this same thought with us.
 
“Not all people who are in prison are guilty, neither are all people outside prison innocent.”
—E.B. Misa Sr.
 
 

Inmate lay minister gives communion to fellow prisoner

The lay ministers from the prison distribute communion in the wards, preceded by prayers and the ringing of the  bell. Deacon Centy and wife Tess at the right.
 
Next, the Thursday group visitors along with their counterpart blue-shirted prisoner Thursday group, visit the ten wards to distribute Holy Communion. A clanging bell, flickering candles and prayers announce their coming.  The two lay ministers bring the host to their fellow prisoners.
 

Sister Ivy massages back and arm pains;
fellow prisoners cut each other’s hair.
 
In the wards, prisoners are helping one another. One gives a shave, another a sponge bath, another cuts toenails. Even Sister Ivy of Thursday group massages a man ailing from rheumatic pains. 

Sister Bobbie comforts one prisoner suffering from stomach pains.
He was anointed, but died a few days after this visit
 
 
 
The most difficult is the IC ward. There has always been inadequate financing to build a proper IC Unit, fully antiseptic, air-conditioned, stocked with plasma and medicines. It serves more as a ‘pre-departure lounge’ where the seriously ailing are isolated to  suffer in privacy and pain, until death comes mercifully. The elderly man in the photo, cried and cried of stomach pains, but there was  nothing to relieve it.
 

A few words, a smile and there is some relief
 
Bobbie comforted another, so desperate and defeated. Before we left, he could afford a faint but meaningful smile. Her birthday was complete!
 

Fr Tito assisted by Lay minister anoints the sick
 
She and the other Thursdays helped prepare the ailing for the sacrament of the Holy Oils or last anointing. Fr Tito came with the small vials of oil, he formed the cross on the forehead, hands and legs of the sick, praying for their recovery or their happy transition.
 
Finally, the Thursday groupers rolled out the large caldrons of caldereta to bring to the wards and distribute into smaller casseroles, for all 700 ailing and sick, but not the IC ward for they had to follow strict diets.
 
The half day ended quickly over a lunch meeting, where the Thursdays discussed what they encountered, problems, areas to focus on, new activities and projects.
 

Medium term goal: improved conditions of the IC ward

Certainly a long term goal would be to mend the IC ward, build a proper unit with air-conditioning and antiseptic conditions, stock it with medicines and ensure regular attention by medical practitioners. There is also general need of hospital linens, bedsheets, hospital gowns, towels, bed napkins, bandages, and of course medicines.

Anyone who wish to offer food, or contribute to or participate in the Thursday Group should contact Sister Bobbie at bobbiedevela@yahoo.com.


Source: E.B. Misa, Jr., Double Life Sentence, Manila: 2000.

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