Background of the Study

The removal of a man from society and the attendant loss of his freedom, privacy and
independence as well as the strict daily routine result in a totally depersonalized environment (Grosfeld
et al, 1983).

The Philippine Correctional System were comprises of six (6) distinctive agencies underlying to
the main three (3) departments of the national government namely: the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology in which under the Department of Interior and Local Government, The Juvenile and Justice
Welfare Council under the Department of Social Welfare and Development; and the Bureau of
Corrections, Parole and Probation Administration and the Board of Pardons and Parole which under
Department of Justice (As cited in bucor.gov.ph). These correctional agencies was authorized by the
National Government to administer the prisons in Philippines for safekeeping, mandating, and security of
the Prisoners.

Technically, referring to pillars of criminal justice system of the Philippines, basically the accused
crime offender will undergo the process of investigation mandated to the Philippine National Police and
the National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies, as well the prosecution legal
procedures at the first stage of justice system. The accused offender will under the custody of Philippine
National police and will detained for 36 hours until the certification of the court to transfer released. On
other hand, if minor offenses, the case must be filed to the court within 12 hours, otherwise the offender
will be released. Once the court decides to transfer the crime offender into jail, a certification of detained
will release with the details of length of time of he or she will stay inside the jail.

On second stage, the accused offender will transfer to its corresponding jail assignment which
under the supervision of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. By this time the offender will called
Prisoner or Person deprived of liberty. Otherwise, if the offender is minor, he or she will be transfer to
rehabilitation center under the supervision of DSWD or Department of Social Welfare and Development.
On jail system, the prisoner is divided into two different types: the prisoner awaiting for the trial and with
already sentenced by the court serving less than three (3) years. Consequently, the Prisoner with the
sentence of more than three years will be transfer to National penitentiary or penal farm in which under
the supervision of Bureau of Corrections. In Correctional Institution will be the final stage of prisoner’s
confinement subjecting towards to reformation (As cited to Bakker in Philippine Justice System, 1997).
Figure 1.2 shows the process of Philippine Correctional System.

LAW BUREAU OF
ENFORCEMENT Bureau of Jail
Managemant CORRECTIONS
AGENCY
What: Investigation, and Penology What: Service of
Sentence
Filing of charges What: Awaiting trial Where: Prison
Where: Detention Where: Jails
Center Who: Convict
Who: Detainee Maximum Hours
Who: Detainee
Maximum Hours: 11 Depends upon the
Maximum Hours: 36 sentence
hours months
Actual Hours spent: 1- Actual Hours spent:
Actual Hours spent Depends upon the
3 yrs more than
2-3 months sentence

Correctional Management entails a different set of Philosophies and custodial functions which the police
are not prepared of (Narag, 2005). Previously, the management of jails was originally mandated to the
Police. According to PNP, watching over the prisoners is no more part of their functions, they primarily
jobs is to investigate, crime operations and to file cases. Later on, upon the request of PNP to establish
separated agency for jail management, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology was establish under
the virtue of Republic Act no. 6975, otherwise known as Department of Interior and Local Government on
January 2, 1991 (As cited to bjmp.gov.ph).

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology is mandated to facilitate and supervise the city, municipality
and district jails, in which the house of confinement of the prisoners while awaiting for trials or sentenced
in less than 3 years. However, Jail Management should not subjected only for confining prisoners but also
to integrate correctional and rehabilitation systems in order to treat prisoners for transformation rather
than fully punishment.

The current Quezon City Jail located at the northeast part of National Capital Region
(NCR) from Manila, Philippines. Administered by Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
(BJMP). The said City Jail covered 3,019.5 square meters of total land area and total cell
area of 1,307.2 square meters occupancy. It was designed to accommodate 800 prisoners
only. Unexpectedly, more or less 4,000 inmates are already occupied the space as of
2018. Obviously, the city jail is overcrowded. War on drugs trafficking are the most
common reason of jail congestion. Almost 60% of prisoners were involved in drug cases.
Other inmates already slept on hallways, basketball courts, functional halls and other
vacant spaces. Consequently, most of the prisoners suffered from food shortage,
improper ventilation, sicknesses, mental illness and lack of medical assistance.

Fig. 1.1| Quezon City Jail and its existing condition

(Source: Asia Pacific Photography)

According to United Nation Jail Standard, its should have 4.7 square meter space
in every one prisoner but because of devastating overcrowding situation in Quezon City
Jail, the said standard space area was already occupied by every four prisoners resulted
to congested spaces, high temperature, diseases and air ventilation problems.
Devastating situation in Quezon City Jail gives extra burden on the part of the local
government. Moreover, the conflict on criminal justice system also considered as
additional factor in jail congestion. Some prisoners took over more than 10 years in
awaiting for the result of their trials. Lack of Public Attorneys (PAO) or Lawyers and
Judges resulted to slow justice system. Disadvantage of legal justice system creates
negative perception for the prisoners. Hence, the issues in judicial process should be also
address and to review.

Prison Overcrowding or Congestion considered as worldwide issue rather national issue.

To accommodate prisoners more than the ideal capacity of Prison Cells is a hindrance
for effectiveness of rehabilitation for prisoners (Bautista,2014). The current Quezon City
Jail was documented by different media and journalists inside and outside the country
in order to address the local and national government about the worst situation of
Quezon City Jail.
 Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Bureau of Corrections
Vision: To enhance public safety by ensuring Vision: A safer society by 2028 through reformed
humane safekeeping and development of Persons persons reintegrated by a highly efficient and
Deprived of Liberty (PDL) in all district, city, and competent corrections service.
municipal jails for their integration to society.
Mission: A premier institution highly regarded by Mission: To protect the public by safekeeping and
society for the secure and humane treatment of reforming persons under our custody adhering to
Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) by its international standards of corrections service.
competent and motivated corps.
Core Values: Core Values:
PRO - Professionalism GOD CENTERED
T - Teamwork VIGILANCE
E - Effeciency / Competence INNOVATIVENESS
C - Commitment INTEGRITY
S - Self-Discipline
Objectives: Objectives:

 To monitor the compliance by wardens To completely deliver the actual realization of

with the different operational policies and deterrence (special deterrence and general
regulations set forth by the bureau; deterrence), restraint, reformation, retribution,
and restoration as major interventions for the
 To help enhance the security and safety of the treatment of law offenders towards a safe, secure,
inmates as well as the jail facilities; harmonious and progressive Philippine society.

 To equip the personnel with the necessary To upgrade its facilities, increasing the number of
skills in the effective management of jail its personnel, upgrading the level of qualifications
security and safekeeping of inmates. of their personnel and standardizing their base
pay, retirement and other benefits
 To ensure that the bureau complies with its
directives pertaining to jail operations; and To charge safekeeping and instituting reformation
programs to national inmates sentenced to more
 To ensure that the bureau complies with the than three (3) years through progressive,
principles relative to use of different effective, and efficient administration.
international instruments in the humane
treatment of inmates.
Function: Function:

 to enhance and upgrade organizational  Safekeep prisoners convicted by courts three

capability on a regular basis; thus, making all (3) years and one (1) day and above to serve
BJMP personnel updated on all advancements sentence in prison.
in law enforcement eventually resulting in
greater crime solution efficiency and decreased  Prevent prisoners from committing crimes.
inmate population;
  to implement strong security measures for the  Provide inmates basic needs.
control of inmates;
 Ensure rehabilitation programs are made
 to provide for the basic needs of inmates; available to the inmates for their physical,
intellectual and spiritual development.
 to conduct activities for the rehabilitation and
development of inmates; and  Develop livelihood programs to assist inmates
earn a living and develop their skills while in
 to improve jail facilities and conditions prison.
Power: Power:

The BJMP exercises supervision and control over
all district, city and municipal jails. As such, it
shall ensure the establishment of secure, clean,
adequately equipped sanitary facilities; and
ensure the provision of quality services for the
custody, safekeeping, rehabilitation and
development of BJMP Comprehensive Operations
Manual Revised 2015 Bureau of Jail Management
and Penology district, city and municipal
inmates, any fugitive from justice, or person
detained awaiting or undergoing investigation or
trial and/or transfer to the National
Penitentiary, and/or violent mentally ill person
who endangers him/herself or the safety of
others as certified by the proper medical or
health officer, pending transfer to a mental
institution.
Programs:
The BuCor shall be in charge of safekeeping and
instituting reformation programs to national
inmates sentenced to more than three (3) years
through progressive, effective, and efficient
administration. The BuCor exercises supervision
and control in all national penitentiaries and penal
farm. The BuCor Shall to completely deliver the
actual realization of deterrence (special
deterrence and general deterrence), restraint,
reformation, retribution, and restoration as major
interventions for the treatment of law offenders
towards a safe, secure, harmonious and
progressive Philippine society.
Programs:

There are four (4) major programs under the
mandate of bjmp and they are the following:
1. Inmates custody, security and control program
2. Inmates welfare and development program
3. Decongestion program
4. Good governance
The Bureau has four major areas of rehabilitation
program, namely:
1. Livelihood Projects,
2. Educational and Vocational Training,
3. Recreation and Sports, and
4. Religious/ Spiritual Activities.
(Source: BJMP Website, BJMP revised operational manual 2015, BuCor Website, R.A. 10575)
The circumferential reformation programs which
will be institutionalized by BuCor for the inmates
shall be comprised of the following:
1. Moral and Spiritual Program.
2. Education and Training Program.
3. Work and Livelihood Program.
4. Sports and Recreation Program.
5. Health and Welfare Program
6. Behavior Modification Program.

The Table no. 1.1 shows the comparison of BJMP and BuCor in terms vision, mission, core values function,
power and programs. By looking the table, it proves that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology is
not just for confining prisoners to jail but also for correction and rehabilitating the prisoners according to
its courses of actions and functionality stated on the table. Both Agencies have the same goal in enhancing
jail and prison facilities, to build strong security in order to control inmates, self-development and to
rehabilitate the prisoners. The only differences of both agencies are the scale of facilities and the level of
prisoners handled but all in all, there all part of the whole Philippine Correctional System. Therefore,
Integration of Correctional and Rehabilitation Institution in Jail Management is possible especially if the
reformation jail system will applied into modern approach of jail management. However, the BJMP
programs and its operational plan of action were not fully exercise and implemented because of several
constraints in reality.

Jail Management Crisis

 CORRECTION PILLAR

PROSECUTION JUDICIARY
PILLAR PILLAR

LAW COMMUNITY
ENFORCEMENT
PILLAR PILLAR