Iligan jail reopens memorial park

ILIGAN City — The Community Memorial Park at the Iligan City Jail-Male Dormitory (ICJMD) reopened on Friday, giving inmates a space to honor loved ones during the traditional Kalag-Kalag observances for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.

“Ramil,” a person deprived of liberty (PDL) at ICJMD, carefully lit a candle in tribute to those he continues to remember. He joined fellow inmates in what is now the second year of the Community Memorial Park, a dedicated area created to bring a sense of the annual November tradition inside the facility.

In the Philippines, 1 and 2 November are sacred days for families to visit cemeteries, offering prayers, flowers, and lighting candles in remembrance — a practice known as dagkot. For inmates, such rituals are usually out of reach. The memorial park bridges this gap, allowing PDL to participate in Kalag-Kalag without leaving the facility.

The park, tucked in a quiet corner of the jail, features a central cross and a designated prayer area. It serves as a symbolic cemetery where inmates can reflect, pray and reconnect with memories of departed loved ones. Ramil, who first experienced dagkot in the jail last year after four years of longing, returned to the same spot — his candle flickering with both grief and hope.

Jail Warden JCINSP Carmelo A. Corsame explained, “We understand how emotionally difficult these days can be for our PDL. Creating this space is our way of helping them stay connected to their families and traditions, even while they’re here.”

The initiative underscores ICJMD’s broader commitment to rehabilitation and humane care, highlighting that dignity and cultural continuity can be nurtured even within the walls of incarceration.

The observance will continue through 2 November culminating in a Liturgy of Words to Remember the Dead, where inmates will gather for collective prayer and reflection.