ILOILO City – Jail overcrowding in Western Visayas has eased significantly following sustained paralegal initiatives and infrastructure support, but the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Region 6 cautions that much work remains to fully address the problem.
BJMP-6 spokesperson and legal chief Atty. Juniven Rey Umadhay reported that the congestion rate in jail dormitories across the region has improved compared to previous years, largely due to strengthened paralegal programs and the commitment of wardens and officers.
From a staggering 600 percent congestion rate, the figure has dropped to about 290 percent.
“Because of measures and programs, particularly paralegal efforts at the jail unit level, we were able to reduce congestion,” Umadhay said.
However, he said jail population remains high, especially in major urban centers, and “the situation cannot yet be described as comfortable.”
Silay City District Jail in Negros Occidental, the largest facility in the region, currently suffers the highest congestion. Umadhay said relief is in sight as the Silay City government plans to construct another building to accommodate the growing number of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
To further ease pressure on jails, the construction of a new Jail Dormitory in Leganes, Iloilo is also underway.
The first phase, focusing on a female dormitory, is already about 40 percent complete, prioritizing urgent overcrowding issues at the Iloilo City Female Dormitory.
A male dormitory will follow once the first phase is finished.
Alongside the two new jail facilities, a new BJMP Regional Office 6 will also rise within the Leganes compound.
“These developments are crucial steps to improving the welfare conditions of our PDLs in the years ahead,” Umadhay added.
While local government units across Western Visayas have expressed commitment to constructing additional facilities, BJMP-6 stressed that sustained collaboration and resources are essential to fully decongest and rehabilitate the region’s jails.
BJMP is the government agency responsible for the safekeeping, development, and rehabilitation of PDLs held in district, city, and municipal jails across the Philippines.
BJMP is different from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), which handles prisons for inmates serving longer sentences (more than three years) after final conviction./PN
