This is one of the unusual parts of our Palawan tour to go to a prison and penal farm. Yes! my group of Manila-based bloggers is going to visit a prison where criminals are sentenced to serve time and at the same time became a labor on a farm in Puerto Princes, Palawan.
I am freaked out and really bothered if I will join my friends to visit this prison, I mean, who wouldn’t be afraid going here? These inmates are sentenced for such crimes like murder, homicide, rape etc. I am not being prejudiced here or something but the thought of going there with inmates walking freely around the small village and the farm is freaking me out! But thanks to our blogger friend – Evo (www.evoandgrace.info), a homegrown Palawan blogger who told us that these inmates are 24/7 checked by the security and these inmates are duly respectful and worth it to be a labor in the farm where tourist will be mingling with them. Fine! I am now 50% less freaked of knowing that.
While touring around the penal farm on our 4×4 pick up, we saw that this farm has a small town where there are houses made of wood and nipa serving as inmates home while working on the farm. There is a small chapel, few small stores/sari-sari store, a basketball court and a recreational area.
When we get off our ride, these men used to be an inmate and they already served time already. They are allowed to sell gifts/pasalubong for us, tourist. They are surprisingly harmless, respectful and all smiles to us tourist.
By the way, before taking this photo I asked this man if we can take a photo of them, he said it;s ok because they are a free man now and for the mean time these 2 men are waiting for their family to pick them up and bring home and get out of the world and be a good citizen.
This has been the most unusual and surprising visit/tour in Palawan and I’m bringing the story of this place back home.