The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) disclosed that jail congestion in the country remains high even if it eased a bit this year as he lamented that the agency is still coping to maintain its facilities with only around 23,000 personnel — half short of ideal 60,000 personnel.

BJMP director Ruel Rivera reported that jail congestion remains at 322 percent this year, albeit lower than the 365 percent recorded in 2023 – just a little over 117,000 prisoners detained in jails nationwide.

Rivera added that the agency is intensifying its efforts to ensure optimal operations in jails.

The release of over 8,000 prisoners have helped ease jail congestion,” said Rivera, referring to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who were able to free from detention with the help of their “paralegals staff” with the help of Philippine Association of Law Schools.

“On 28 June, will open the facility (two and a half hectare) donated by the provincial government, and a couple of weeks ago in Iloilo,” Rivera said.

The San Mateo Jail which is one of the Top 10 most congested jail, will have a new facility donated by the local government.

He added that to bridge manpower, they are expecting 2,000 recruits this 16 July.

In terms of prisoners renewal for their possible reintegration with society, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. have brought the agency’s BIDA (Buhay ay Ingatan, Droga ay Ayawan) program where they would launch on 18 July, the First Painting, Hand Crafting and Singing Contests among PDLs.

“PDLs are the least, the last and the lost (among the members of our society). 70 percent of them have drug-related cases,” Rivera said, adding that the BIDA program of Abalos will help inmates in honing their talents and forget about indulging into illegal drugs use.