To kick-off the National Correctional Consciousness Week, the San Juan City local government inaugurated on Tuesday the newest visitation area of the male dorm of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) San Juan.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said that the new visitation area is the first of its kind in the BJMP facilities nationwide since it was built in line with the new normal protocols brought about by the pandemic.
The area is fully air-conditioned, furnished with tiled flooring, and gratified with a wooden accent ceiling with cove lighting.
Zamora said that it is also surrounded by an inch thick tempered glass which is 18 feet in length and 6 feet in height and is equipped with 10 pieces of two-way telephones.
"This is the product of the facility’s initiative, ‘Unity Ride for a Cause’, conducted last February 14. The group was able to raise a total of P170,000 which was used to fund the project," Zamora said.
“This will benefit our PDLs or Persons Deprived of Liberty. This is our way of showing them that even if they are in this institution, we want them to still keep in touch with their loved ones especially during these trying times,” he added.
Meanwhile, the LGU also launched the livelihood products of the BJMP unit through the “Nakakulong Ngunit Nakakatulong Program” and “Likha-Laya Project”.
Through these projects, PDLs who are talented artists, created freehand charcoal drawings, paintings in canvas, wooden tablets and cellphone holders, plant stands, layered plant racks, wood alcohol dispensers, study tables, and parols for sale.
They have also created slippers under the “Tsinelas Mo, Gawa Ko” project. Through these initiatives, they were able to raise P500,000 income and released two qualified PDLs.