The Manila City Jail Male Dormitory (MCJMD) has strongly pushed for the declaration of the facility as a national historical landmark with initial efforts being made for the installation of a “historical marker,’’ the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) stated.  

In recognition of its historical importance the MCJMD, the BJMP said that a consultative meeting was recently held where the process of installing a historical marker and declaring the facility as a national historical landmark was tackled.

Initiated by MCJMD warden Supt. Lino M. Soriano, retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio was among the participants that attended the consultation meeting as insights were gathered on the proper procedures and requirements for the landmark declaration.

During the meeting, Soriano presented the current initiatives of the MCJMD, including historical research and coordination with various government agencies. 

“The discussion emphasized the jail’s cultural and historical value, being one of the oldest existing detention facilities in the country,’’ Soriano noted.

The participants in the meeting expressed overwhelming support for the initiative, agreeing that the MCJMD deserves to be recognized with a historical marker and declared a national historical site for its significant contribution to Philippine history.

Those who shared their expertise and comments in the meeting were Maria Sophia T. Solidum-Taylor, Presiding Judge of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 31; BJMP NCR Director Chief Supt. Baby Noel P. Montalvo and representatives of GMA Pictures led by Leo Martinez.

Soriano has pressed for the declaration of the MCJMD as a “historical site’’ owing to its rich history dating back to the Spanish occupation in the country.

Once known as “The Old Bilibid Prison and originally as the Carcel y Presidio Correccional’’ during the Spanish colonial era, the MCJMD was built in 1847 under the direction of Governor-General Narciso Clavería. 

In 1992, the jail facility was officially turned over to the, but its deep-rooted historical significance remains, an important part of the country's correctional and colonial past.

Recently, Soriano and other key jail officials also conferred with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) for the installation of a historical marker and the formal declaration of the facility as a historical area to preserve its rich historical value.

In the said meeting, Soriano’s team met with Michelle B. Ting, Architect of the Historic Preservation Division and Miguel Antonio Jimenez, History Researcher of the NHCP. 

Jimenez provided a detailed explanation of the necessary requirements for the declaration process and offered alternative options for acquiring specific documents.

He assured NHCP’s willingness to continue assisting and guiding the MCJMD team once all the requirements are completed and submitted.