The International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) bestowed the Outstanding Correctional Service Employee award to Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) officer Supt. Xavier Solda for his "exemplary performance", besting other global nominees in the field of jail management and corrections.
In a statement, the BJMP stated that Solda, who is the current jail warden of the Zamboanga City Jail Male Dormitory, received the award in a special ceremony at the ongoing ICPA Conference in Antwerp, Belgium.
“The International Corrections and Prisons Association is proud to recognise Xavier Awican Solda as the 2023 recipient of ICPA’s Outstanding Correctional Service Employee Award for his tireless dedication to improving the lives of people incarcerated in the Philippines,” ICPA Executive Director Natalie Boal said.
The ICPA Correctional Excellence Awards Committee is composed of the corrections executives from different countries around the world which cited Solda’s outstanding accomplishments in effecting jail management reforms, professionalism and work ethics.
In his acceptance speech, Solda acknowledged the huge challenge of helping people behind bars rebuild their lives while citing national efforts to address the pressing concerns in jails.
“We will continue to move forward with concrete solutions; all for justice and human dignity,” Solda noted.
“I hope and pray that we can work together as one global community in the field of corrections, bonded with strong desire to build a better future, for the next generations to come,” he added.
Solda is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Class of 2008 and is a product of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and the Ateneo School of Government.
Last month, Solda’s unit was recognized as the best city jail and at the same time a recipient of the first Gray Dove Award, which is the BJMP’s national recognition for peacebuilding and innovations.