1ST IN PH. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) inaugurates the Malaybalay City Jail Reformatory Center in Bukidnon on Saturday (Oct. 29, 2022). The facility is the first jail-based drug reformation center in the country. (Photo courtesy of BJMP)
MANILA – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) inaugurated the Malaybalay City Jail Reformatory Center in Bukidnon, the first among the three jail-based drug reformation centers built under the “Kanlungan sa Piitan” project of the BJMP and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
BJMP chief Jail Director Allan Iral thanked the DDB under the leadership of Secretary Catalino Cuy for supporting the BJMP’s anti-drug reform programs particularly the provision of funding for the reformation center.
“This will answer major concerns of the BJMP, especially in providing specialized care to the drug-affected sector of the PDL population,” Iral said in his message during the inauguration on Saturday.
Iral vowed to continue to work hard in preventing as well as purging illegal substances in the BJMP-run jails.
On Dec. 17, 2019, the BJMP and the DDB entered into a memorandum of agreement for the establishment of drug rehabilitation facilities in BJMP jails and providing funds to make it happen.
Almost two years later, the DDB issued Regulation No. 8, authorizing the BJMP to operate jail-based drug reformation centers.
The construction of Malaybalay City Jail-Annex Kanlungan sa Piitan was completed as early as March 12, 2021. However, the perimeter fence was finished only this year.
A total of 35 personnel has been designated to manage the Malaybalay City Jail Reformatory Center.
All personnel have completed the mandatory pre-service training such as the Therapeutic Community Modality Program and other related seminars and workshops to ensure that they have the proper competencies in drug rehabilitation work.
Meanwhile, the BJMP Multi-purpose Cooperative provided the equipment and fixtures of the facility from its Community Development Fund.
It has a bed capacity of 60 and will cater to persons deprived of liberty from BJMP facilities within Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) and other nearby regions subject to the discretion of the courts.
Based on the data of the BJMP Directorate for Operations, a total of 90,062 PDL or 68.59 percent of the total 131,311 PDL population in 477 BJMP facilities are facing drug-related charges.
The “Kanlungan sa Piitan” will cater to PDL ordered by the courts to undergo six months of drug rehabilitation as a penalty.
“Through Kanlungan sa Piitan, we are hitting two birds with one stone. We are providing means of treatment as early as now, while they are in detention,” Iral said. “We want to make the most of their time with us. So that when they join their families and communities, they are changed persons.”
Aside from the Malaybalay City Jail Reformatory Center, two other BJMP reformatory centers are on the rise. One is in Argao, Cebu with an 82 percent completion rate as of Dec. 12, 2021, and the other one will be in San Pablo, Laguna.
“Alinsunod sa direktiba ni DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., tuloy tuloy po ang aming kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga at mas lalo pang palalawakin ang mga programang pangrehabilitasyon gaya ng reformatory centers na aming ipinatatayo (Pursuant to the directive of DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., our campaign against illegal drugs will continue and we will further expand the rehabilitation programs such as the reformatory centers to build),” Iral said. (PNA)
