Cebu City inmates train as call center agents

JAILED for murder last Aug. 3, 54-year-old Esperidion Ruba of barangay Labangon Cebu City resigned himself to facing a grim future ahead.

Things changed when he signed up for a call center program for inmates which was implemented at the Cebu City Jail.

Despite being the oldest enrollee, he passed the exam and trained for the required 104 hours to complete the call center program sponsored by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

He joined 44 detainees including women and minors in receiving their certificates last Saturday.

“I don’t have anything to do inside the prison anyway, that’s why I joined it. I’m not ready to apply as a call center agent in the future but I just want to continue learning to help change my life,” Ruba said in Cebuano.

With nine children, most of whom were working and married, Ruba worked as a taxi driver to raise his family.

One day after finishing the day’s work, he went home to find his neighbor throwing stones at his house.

Enraged, Ruba picked his bolo and attacked his neighbor. Ruba was remorseful after realizing that the victim had no family.

Through the call center program, he hopes to be reformed and return to society as a changed and empowered man.

The call center program implemented by Informatics began last July and was financed from Cayetano’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The senator also provided the computer equipment for the prisoners.

Supt. Johnson Calub, Cebu City Jail warden, said he was happy about the program.

“Who would have thought that detainees could accomplish something productive while staying in prison,” he said.

He said prisoners who trained under the program can secure employment provided they have secured certification for good behavior in jail.

Calub said they may even offer a web design and development course soon.

Cebu City jail houses 2,128 inmates or more than its capacity of 1,000 inmates.Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza