PDLs showcase creativity in cooking sardines

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Metro Bacolod District Jail (MBDJ)-female dormitory in Barangay Handumanan here thought of a unique way to showcase the creativity of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) through a cooking contest.

Dubbed “Tuloy Po Kayo,” the jail has organized a contest on Wednesday to feature the cooking skills of PDLs by preparing a unique sardines dish, locally known as “tuloy.”

Jail Inspector Ma. Lorelie Dimaculangan, warden, said that nine dormitories participated in the contest, with three representatives each.

She said that this is the first time that the jail organized such activity in celebration with the heritage month.

The title conveys the hospitality of every Filipino by preparing nutritious, unique, and not costly kind of dish, she added.

Dimaculangan said that they provided the participants with sardines as a main ingredient of the contest.

The participants were judged based on the following criteria: Serving Method and Presentation, Portion Size and Nutritional Balance, Creativity, and Practicality, Flavor, Taste, Texture, and Doneness.

Fish fillet with malunggay, tinolang isda with vegetables, and fish with black beans were chosen as winners of the contest.

Dimaculangan said that the winners of three dormitories were provided with toiletries that they can use inside the jail.

All the PDLs also enjoyed the dishes they prepared during a dinner.

“It’s good to know that they can learn new experiences inside the jail through this activity,” she said.

At present, the jail has 210 PDLs.