Inmate designs 'arcade-like' game at NBP

A person deprived of liberty (PDL) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) created an arcade game inside the detention facility, which he hopes to be a source of livelihood for prisoners.

In Oscar Oida’s Monday “24 Oras” report, the PDL presented his game invention: a table soccer-inspired game that features basketball instead. 

“Wala po kasing magawa dito sa kulungan. Kung may ping pong, may table hockey, may soccer, bakit 'yung basketball nawawala? So diyan ko itinuon 'yung 28 years ko na ginawa. Nai-patent ko 'yan noong 2018,” he said. 

(We don’t have anything to do here inside. I saw there were tables like this for hockey and soccer but how about basketball? I designed this for 28 years and patented it in 2018.)

His ideas and design were assembled for a year with the help of other detainees and NBP Director Gregorio Catapang.

“Naglaro kami nito, nagustuhan niya. Ito, tinulungan naman ako ni Director para ayusin ko,” he said. 

(We played a game and he enjoyed it. Director Catapang helped me in its assembling.)

According to the PDL, he is eyeing to establish a manufacturing shop for his invention inside the national penitentiary, which will serve as a livelihood for detainees who are set to be discharged. 

“Kasi kung makukulong ako ng 30 years, paglaya ko wala na akong pagkakakitaan eh,” he said. 

(If I will be here for 30 years, I won’t have any source of livelihood when I get out.) —Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News