A person deprived of liberty (PDL) wants to showcase his invention and sought the help of the Bureau of Corrections. 

The PDL's intention was to request the creation of a small manufacturing facility for his inventions, in order to assist the work and livelihood programs for inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

In his letter to BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr., PDL Clarence B. Astudillo, an architect, 57, who was incarcerated for more than 29 years now for murder, claimed that his invention, Articulated Throw Ball Shooter with Philippine Patent No.12012000352 -B, is a unique basketball shooting game played individually (for the manually operated basketball apparatus) and with multiple players (for the computer or cellphone operated basketball apparatus) that anyone can play and enjoy, while his other invention, a soccer game for two players is still in the process of obtaining a patent.

The PDL claimed that many of his inmates would benefit from his inventions if a small manufacturing plant was built inside the NBP to manufacture these two table games, as these products should have no trouble tapping the vast lucrative market.

“Dito sa atin sa Pilipinas mapa bata mapa matanda mahilig sa sports kaya alam ko na papatok ito at maraming mga PDLs na gaya ko ang makikinabang sa inventions ko (Here in the Philippines, the youngsters and old alike are into sports, thus I know many PDLs like me will benefit from my inventions),” Astudillo said.

Catapang said the bureau will continue to help Astudillo “in whatever way we can” and we will continue to assist him to reach out with other government agencies like the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and the Department of Science and Technology, so he can be given proper advice on how to go about his inventions.

“We hope that his inventions will be a living testament that there is always something good that can come out even in the worst situation you are in, and you need not lose hope,” Catapang said.