New Bilibid Prison (NBP)

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is hoping that the upcoming National Jail Decongestion Summit would yield fresh policies and programs meant to address overcrowding in the country’s jails and detention centers. 

The summit, slated to be held next month, was the brainchild of the Supreme Court (SC). 

“This commendable effort is a significant step in tackling the pervasive issue of jail congestion. We are confident that the summit would be able to come up with ways to reduce backlogs and speed up the disposition of cases to help  address the overpopulation in our jails and prisons,” Yamsuan said in a statement Tuesday, Nov. 14. 

“At the same time, we hope that the participants in the summit would also consider the long-term solution of integrating the country’s fragmented correctional system," said the Bicol solon, referring to his pet bill. 

"We have been pushing for this reform through our measure that seeks to create the Department of Corrections and Jail Management (DCJM),” noted Yamsuan,  a former assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). 

The creation of his proposed DCJM as outlined under House Bill (HB) No.8672 “would provide the seamless coordination among the different agencies involved in  the administration of justice and ensure that the rights and welfare of  persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are protected". Yamsuan said. 

Under HB No.8672, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), which is currently under the DOJ; the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of the DILG; the correctional and jail services of the provincial governments; the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP); and the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) will be placed under the DCJM. 

Set to be held on Dec. 6 and 7, 2023 in Manila, the National Jail Decongestion Summit will bring together key stakeholders, experts, justice sector leaders and international partners to “devise comprehensive strategies that prioritize sustainable solutions for the reduction of inmate populations in correctional facilities", according to a recent  statement released by the SC. 

The summit is being organized by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC), which is composed of the SC, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the DILG. 

Yamsuan said unifying the government agencies and offices in charge of overseeing the management of the country’s jails under one department should be included in the list of “sustainable solutions” that participants aim to discuss during the summit. 

According to data from BuCor, the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) and other penal facilities it manages currently house over 50,000 inmates nationwide. But the total capacity of all these jails is estimated at only 12, 250 inmates, which leads to a congestion rate of close to 400 percent.