Coffee has been a constant companion for many Filipinos, whether it’s just the morning cup to start the day, an iced drink picked up in-between classes or during work breaks, or just a drink shared over conversations with friends. As coffee shops and carts continue to expand across the country, these familiar spaces have become more than places to get a caffeine fix. But what if the person preparing your coffee is someone who has been formerly incarcerated?
Ex-Preso is a coffee-cart initiative in the Philippines, where every cup of a drink is filled with a story beyond caffeine. Here, the baristas preparing drinks are formerly Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) working to rebuild their lives and start new beginnings, one order at a time.
Through the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service (PJPS) Foundation, Inc., Ex-Preso provides livelihood opportunities for Persons Restored of Liberty (PRL), challenging the stereotypes and stigma that are often associated with them even after leaving prison walls.
Person Behind The Cup
For baristas like Mark Anthony Domingo, Melecio “Chang” Recolcolin Jr., Daniel “Archie” Botda Jr., and Jhon Glen Wile, taking part in this initiative has opened new doors they did not expect. In spite of their educational background and experiences, facing society again presented a different kind of perspective and challenges, from securing a job to navigating uncertainty of starting over.
Melecio, who studied entrepreneurship and taught fellow inmates while being inside the prison, worried about finding employment after his release. Meanwhile, Jhon Glen, who spent two decades behind bars after being imprisoned at the age of 17, struggled to navigate his footing.
Their positions in life reflect a sad reality: qualifications to work does not always guarantee a career. Another barrier that worries them from rebuilding their lives is the presence of social stigma. Through Ex-Preso, they are given another chance to redeem themselves more than recognizing their pasts.
More Than Livelihood
The Ex-Preso program is not just about teaching baristas how to brew coffee. Through its connection with BaLAYA ni Lolo Kiko, a PJPS’s rehabilitation and reintegration initiative, participants receive wider support as they prepare for life beyond imprisonment.
The program connects practical training in coffee making, customer service, inventory management, teamwork, as well as business operations. Essentially, this approach recognizes that integration should also involve rebuilding relationships, embracing past experiences, and regaining self-esteem while navigating society again.
Brewing a Second Chance
Interestingly, Ex-Preso challenges the mere judgement that incarceration brought to the lives of PRL’s future. Its work demonstrates how employment and community engagement can create a support that eventually helps these individuals pursue independence and reconstruct their confidence.
Since 1994, PJPS has been helping PDLs. PRLs, as well as their affected families by giving scholarships and educational assistance, socio-pastoral, and judicial reform and advocacy.
A cup of coffee may just be an ordinary part of someone’s day. But for the person brewing it, it represents something greater: opportunity to begin again. Because just like coffee, a fresh start is made one brew at a time.