SUBSCRIBERS

Prison On Fire

Dylan Tan
Published Thu, Sep 5, 2019 · 09:50 PM

Forget Orange is the New Black - for a taste of what prison life is really like, check out Happy Jail. The Netflix documentary is about life in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), which was thrown into the spotlight after a 2007 video clip of its inmates dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller went viral.

Happy Jail opens about a decade later when an ex-convict Marco Toral is appointed as the Special Consultant for CPDRC. To say the latter is an interesting character would be a gross understatement given his unorthodox way of running the overcrowded prison and dishing out punishments. Despite his tough guy exterior, the prisoners love him but he has his fair share of haters on the outside and things get messy for Toral and CPDRC when an inmate escapes.

Even the best TV writers can't make this stuff up.

KEYWORDS IN THIS ARTICLE

BT is now on Telegram!

For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to  t.me/BizTimes

Lifestyle

SUPPORT SOUTH-EAST ASIA'S LEADING FINANCIAL DAILY

Get the latest coverage and full access to all BT premium content.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Browse corporate subscription here