Handcrafted bags from San Pedro Jail brought global attention to ASEAN leaders
DBPH Admin2 
Bag-It-Forward goes to Malaysia!
San Pedro City, Laguna – IN a powerful demonstration of how rehabilitation and dignity can coexist behind bars, the Zonta Club of Laguna, led by President Ann Matibag, has brought global attention to the creativity and resilience of incarcerated women in San Pedro City Jail.
As part of Zonta’s ongoing livelihood and empowerment initiatives, handcrafted bags made by women detainees were distributed as official tokens to members of the Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly 2025 (WAIPA). These bags, lovingly stitched and designed within the confines of the city jail tell a story of strength, transformation and hope.
Among the female legislators who received the bags were the Representative and Liason to ASEAN UN Women Hon. Ulziisuren Jamsran, Hon. Safiah Salam from Brunei Darussalam, Hon. Lork Kheng from Cambodia, Hon. Dr. Adde Rosi Khoerunnisa from Indonesia, Hon. Madame Thoummaly Vongphachanh from Lao PDR, Hon. Patsarin Ramwong from Thailand, Hon. Nguyen Thanh Cam from Vietnam, Hon. Maria Grou-Mali Barreto from Timor Leste, and Hon. Dato’ Sri Doris Sophia anak Brodi from Malaysia.
One of the recipients of the bag, Ambassador Ulziisuren Jamsran – UN Women Representative in Indonesia and Liaison to ASEAN, is working to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment across diverse contexts, including through initiatives that support women in conflict with the law and those facing multiple layers of vulnerability. She was deeply moved by the project, Ambassador Jamsran not only expressed admiration for the bags but also placed an order to support the women artisans further.
Ambassador Jamsran described the initiative as a vision that provides not only economic opportunities but also a way to restore a sense of dignity for women in detention. According to her, the bags immediately caught her attention because each one tells a unique story. Every piece was crafted not just with skill, but with courage, dignity, and hope. These bags symbolize women’s resilience and their desire to reclaim agency and purpose in the face of adversity. For her, beyond being stylish, the bags are also well-made products that carry powerful stories—making them profoundly unique.
Ambassador Jamsran left a heartfelt message for the women of San Pedro City Jail, “To all the women who are courageously walking this path of transformation, I want you to know that your strength does not go unnoticed. Every stitch you make is a step forward. You are not defined by your past, but by your ability to grow, to contribute and to rise. Keep believing in yourselves. The world needs your talent, your resilience and your voice.”
President Ann Matibag of Zonta Club of Laguna also expressed her heartfelt gratitude: “This initiative reminds us that women—wherever they are—can be agents of change. We are proud of the women in San Pedro Jail for proving that rehabilitation is not just possible but powerful. With the support of global leaders like Ambassador Jamsran, we hope to expand this program and create even more opportunities for these women to rebuild their lives with purpose and pride.”
This project exemplifies Zonta’s mission : building a better world for women and girls, one life, one skill, one stitch at a time and one second chance at a time.
