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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider BuCor, BJMP, PCW agree to provide better medical needs for women PDLs

BuCor, BJMP, PCW agree to provide better medical needs for women PDLs

Published Dec 3, 2025 11:30 am
Three government agencies have signed a joint memorandum of agreement that would provide better medical needs for women who are persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
In a statement, BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said a joint memorandum circular (JMC) on the Guidelines on Gender-Responsive Detention Facilities and Services was signed last Monday, Dec. 1.
Aside from Catapang, the signatories are Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Director Ruel S. Rivera.
The BuCor said the key mandates of the circular include the free and adequate provision of essential hygiene kits, including sanitary napkins and toiletries, which the JMC stipulates must be classified as essential needs and guaranteed through the agencies' annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) to ensure sustainable supply.
It also said the women PDLs are guaranteed comprehensive health services, including menstrual, maternity, breastfeeding, and menopause care, as well as pre- and post-natal medical examinations for pregnant or new mothers.
At the same time, it said the guidelines provide that “decisions concerning infants staying with their mothers must be based on the best interests of the child and require the provision of legal and psychological support, nutritious meals, and robust reintegration programs to facilitate a successful transition back to society, alongside the exploration of noncustodial alternatives.”
The BuCor said the JMC applies to all city, district, municipal, provincial, and correctional institutions under the BJMP and the BuCor, and explicitly adopts the principles of the 2010 United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders, also known as the Bangkok Rules.
“Its core purpose is to provide a framework for developing gender-responsive practices in all correctional facilities, ensuring that women PDLs receive treatment and services equivalent to those available in the community,” it also said.
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