Irene Sagrada Tabada: She Saw Jesus in Jail

The last time Tita Irene and I talked was when she instructed me to dine with the members of the Bukas Palad Ministry, after their guesting in DXGN sometime last year prior to their concert in ADDU. That was for the benefit of the prison welfare. I cannot forget what she told me, “Cheng, help me promote the prison welfare,” as she was saddened by the government’s plan to revive the death penalty in the Philippines. Here is Nina R. Ingle’s story about her life, family and passion about the “bakasyonistas” in jail.

Dear KNOT,

A Funeral Mass at the San Pablo Church with the three bishops in Davao, 14 priests, and over 400 in the congregation was held for Irene Sagrado Tabada, head of the Archdiocesan Commission for Prison Welfare (ACPW), before she was laid to rest the day after Christmas.

Irene died suddenly at the age of 55. Apart from working full-time with the Dept. of Budget and Management, she had been busy with the ACPW programs “Panaygon sa Preso” and “Wish Ko Lang”, where community groups visited the jail to share carols and gifts to help the inmates celebrate Christmas apart from their families.

The day she was buried, her casket was brought inside the facility so the almost 4,000 inmates could pay their respects to someone that many considered as a mother, a sister, and a friend.

Randy, the coordinator of the Catholic Community in the jail, said that Irene didn’t just care about their spiritual needs, but their basic physical and health necessities. She arranged for rubber mats for the inmates to sleep on rather than newspapers and improved ventilation in the hot and overcrowded cells.

Female inmates remembered how she would listen to their problems and comfort them during trials and heartbreaks like learning of the death of a child. A Muslim inmate emotionally shared how Irene cared for her even though they were of different religions.

Irene’s elder son, Kiboy, said that the family would ask her why she spent so much of her time in jail. With a smile she would say, “Because in jail I find Jesus.”

Irene is survived by her husband Nestor, her sons Kiboy and Kitoy, her parents Liling and Pete Sagrada, and her siblings Ethel, Alice, Ulric, Owen, and their families.

* * * * * *

Thank you Nina. Here is Irene’s son, Kiboy, as he dedicated a poem expressing his sadness about the passing of his “Mamoy.”

My mom quite literally laid down and gave up her life for others, for the ministry she dedicated more than her whole self to, to bring love to where love was needed most. There is truly no greater love than this.

Mommy remains alive through the many who now live fuller lives because of her love, passion, and generosity. Let us joyfully celebrate the life of Irene Sagrado Tabada who finally meets Jesus today, December 22, 2016.

Paano ko sasagutin ang “Kumusta?”

Hindi ko alam.
Hindi ko masabi.
Wala akong mahanap na salita.

Yakap.
Marahil sasapat ang yakap.
Sana sumapat ang yakap.

Pero sana’y yakap na yayapos sa puso,
sa kalaliman ng diwa,
sa kung nasaan ang luksa.

Nilisan na ako ng bawat damdaming natira sa paglisan ng ligaya
Nilisan ako maging ng lungkot at ng lamig
Wala nang damdaming natira
Ano pang isasagot ko sa pangungumusta?

Yakap.
Yakap na lang sana.
Sana sumapat ang yakap upang tumbasan
ang yakap na hindi na muling mararamdaman pa.