In June 2023, Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion – Mandaue, Inc. (CIC – Mandaue, Inc.) dared to dream of a borderless education, one that reaches learners often left unseen and unheard. What began as a vision soon took shape when the institution opened its doors to completers of the Junior High School Alternative Learning System (ALS JHS Learners) in Mandaue City by offering the Senior High School General Academic Strand (SHS GAS) ALS Way. Through this milestone, education ceased to be confined by conventional classrooms and schedules, and the Vincentian Charism was made alive in the lives of learners seeking a second chance.

In April 2025, the Department of Education Mandaue City Division recognized CIC Mandaue’s steadfast mission and reached out with a new and challenging invitation: to extend Catholic Vincentian education to the Mandaue City Jail - Male Dormitory for SY 2025 - 2026. Through the former School President, Sr. Elenita “Leny” E. Soriano, DC, the question was posed: would CIC Mandaue be willing to bring education behind bars? With faith as her guide, Sr. Leny responded with a resolute “YES.”

The decision, however, was not without its struggles. As with the opening of the SHS GAS (ALS Way), fears, doubts, and hesitation surfaced among the faculty and staff. The unfamiliar terrain of teaching within a correctional facility raised concerns and uncertainties. Yet, these were met with a deeper conviction: that the call to serve must prevail over fear.

Guided by this shared mission, a historic partnership was formally sealed on May 19, 2025, among the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Mandaue City Jail - Male Dormitory, the Department of Education Mandaue City Division, and CIC Mandaue, Inc. This collaboration marked a powerful step toward inclusive and transformative education that reaches even those behind bars.

On July 22, 2025, the academic journey of 49 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) as they enrolled in CIC Mandaue Senior High School under the General Academic Strand (ALS Way) officially began. Guided by 10 faculty members teaching various subjects in the SHS curriculum, morning classes held every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday became meaningful avenues for learning. Through this program, the PDLs are given the opportunity to continue their education and move closer to achieving their dream of completing Senior High School.

For the Daughters of Charity and the Lay Mission Partners of CIC Mandaue, this “yes” goes far beyond the classroom and academic instruction. True to the heart of a Vincentian institution, the offering of Sunday Masses, recollections, and ongoing faith formation becomes an integral part of the mission that is nurturing not only the mind, but also the soul. This commitment is a call both to evangelize and to be evangelized, to proclaim the Gospel while humbly receiving it in return. In walking with PDL, they encounter Christ in the margins and recognize in them their “masters” - teachers of resilience amid suffering, hope amid confinement, and redemption that transcends even the strongest walls.

Through this mission, CIC Mandaue continues to break barriers - proving that education, when rooted in faith and service, knows no borders, not even walls of steel.