Capitol taps Jayco to train CPDRC’s dancing inmates

CEBU, Philippines — The world-famous dancing inmates of Cebu are set to make wave once again with the provincial government tapping a well-known Cebuano dancesport choreographer as trainor.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the Capitol has entered into an agreement with dancesport choreographer Edward Jayco to train the dancing inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).

“We are hoping nga we could enter into collaboration with him nga iya pud matudloan ang atong mga inmates. Although ang dancesport man gud is more of like ballroom dancing pero tan-awon nato kay ang mga inmates mismo naa pay nahabilin nga nahinumdom sa ilang mga dance programs sa katong ilang presentation sa una,” Garcia said.

The governor is hopeful that the dancing inmates will be ready as soon as possible.

The CPDRC dancing inmates captured the international limelight in 2007 when a video of them performing the popular song “Thriller” of the late pop superstar Michael Jackson was uploaded on YouTube.

The dancing inmates have become so popular that foreign and local tourists were drawn into visiting the jail facility just to watch them perform live.  It was the governor’s brother Byron Garcia, then Capitol’s security consultant, who started the program for the inmates. It was also Byron who uploaded the video that went viral on social media.

Meanwhile, the governor is planning to reopen the savings account of the CPDRC inmates at the Cooperative Bank of Cebu. Garcia said each inmate will be given their own account passbook.

“Like duna man na silay mura’g community store nga kun unsay kita diha atong i-divide nila aron duna silay (kita),” Garcia said.

She also intends to provide each inmate a new set of uniform and vegetable seeds for them to grow inside the jail facility.

At present, the CPDRC has around 900 inmates. The number has substantially reduced from what used to be 4,000 in the past years. The provincial jail facility has only a capacity of 1,500 to 1,600 inmates.

With the CPDRC already decongested, Garcia said they are now ready to accept inmates from the municipal jails provided that conditions are followed.

“I don't want that to be repeated nga mosaka na pud and congested na pud ang CPDRC. We want to look at the status sa ilang cases, whether it is up already with a resolution or asa na dapita kay what we would really wish aron dili ta ma congested, nga molaygay bitaw, it's either madismiss na’ng kaso or if they are convicted mosaka sila ipadala didto sa New Bilibid or sa... pero dili nga malaygay og 20 anyos naa na dinha,” said Garcia. — FPL (FREEMAN)