DAVAO CITY - Davao City Jail's inmates have made a business out of making Christmas lanterns.

The program is an initiative of the city jail and the city government to help detainees earn money even while behind bars.

The inmates craft parols out of plastic charol, bamboo sticks and small light bulbs to flicker when lit at night.

Each parol is sold at P1,000, and inmates get a 30 percent commission or about P300 for every parol they make.

Roy, one of the parol-crafting inmates, said they are able to produce at least 3 Christmas lanterns per day.

"It is a really big help for us because it's an additional allowance and we can somehow aid the needs of our families through the commission we get out of this," Roy said.

Jail Officer 2 Alma Arguelles of the Davao City Jail said this is the correctional facility's way of helping inmates get a "decent job".

The Davao City government has placed an initial order of 175 parols from the inmates that will be displayed along the city's roads.