The Lost Filipino

Geopoet writes the realism of the political spectrum of the Philippines from the ground of the Filipino masses. It portrays the realistic views of the small people who felt they are wrought of mass poverty as a result of so much political squabbles and bickering both from the top and lowest echelon of their own government. This is their story...our own story and it starts now...

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

CEBU DANCING INMATES, A CATACLYSMIC METAMORPHOSIS IN JAIL MANAGEMENT

It all started from an inmates marching routine to a daily dancing  practice inside or outside their respective cell. To manage a jailhouse is a very daunting task to do especially when 70% of the 1500 inmates inside are considered high-risk criminals of the society, says Byron Garcia, Jail Warden.

This impossible at first initiative was taken on video and downloaded to You Tube website. It resulted to a series of monthly performance until the “Thriller” song of Michael Jackson hits big time through the internet. It caught the whole wide world the amazing performance of these inmates. And recently, the Sony Entertainment uploaded inmates’ well-synchronized jail yard routine performance in YouTube which now has more than 1.7M views (January 22-28, 2010). It was a splendid performance participated in by no less than Michael Jackson’s choreographer, Travis Payne who led the 1,200 inmates clad in regulation orange prison trousers and black shirts that featured the DVD’s logo of the “This is It” DVD of rock superstar Michael Jackson.

This is a new Filipino mark. Again Filipinos are accomplishing great achievements of their lives as they continue combating poverty, graft and corruption, and many others. In spite of a very discouraging situation and conditions, and its apparent diversity of culture, one man introduced a cataclysmic metamorphosis in jail management. And he is Byron Garcia.

I should say that he is just one man making a mark of his life to be remembered by generations of his time. His ultimate aim of converting criminal thugs to a civil person ready to be accepted back to a civil society by introducing music and dance as a last recourse of refuge only show to the world that criminals can still be a good person. Byron’s concept changed the theoretical aims and practices of penology. It carries with the principle of love and compassion as it  is being taught many Christians denominations.

By this ultimate inmates’ performance, these inmates again show up the very essence of their own spirit, and their love of arts and culture in spite of their own criminal acts committed against society.

An inmate who can be noted is Leo Suico, a former policeman awaiting 6 years for multiple murder charges.  He said that inside the prison cell is boring and because of this dancing routines, it diverted their time and forget their own problems. Indeed, music and dancing is an excellent medicine for anger, hatred, frustrations, and lost of hope. It gives the inmates a new dimension of living life to the fullest with music and dances as their close companion.

I just want to comment on WMG’s case of the so-called “unauthorized use of the music in public performance” which disabled the music of the inmates performance. It was a selfish act of infringing the rights of the benefactors who bought the piece of music and used it in a public performance. I do believe that such performance was never intended to raise certain amount of money to benefit a certain people, it was a public performance shown to the whole public world how inmates are getting involve of changing their own lives through music and dances.

I was just curious with WMG of disabling their music which was already bought from their music stand. If we will consider this as illegal on the part of the performers, why is it that WMG did not ran after intellectual property pirates before?… or did you see, it’s whole wide world violating?! Why just now when it has helped hardened criminals to become good persons at again? Why deprive them the chance? I just hope that authorities need to look into this matter so as not to discourage others to follow suit the track of performance that CPDRC have achieved.

I believe the rights to the music has already been bought by the time the buyer get a copy of the music. Of course, with certain other limitations as stipulated by law.

I should like to express my congratulations to Byron Garcia and Leo Suico who played important roles in rehabilitating the hardened criminals to become humane again. Thank you for sharing your unique thoughts about them. Indeed, both of you won the eyes of the whole wide world to it. Keep it up!

I’ll be one of those who will frequently view your video clips at You Tube….promise ko yan.

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