ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Commit to humane, enhanced jail conditions, BJMP urges ASEAN correctional meet partners

Commit to humane, enhanced jail conditions, BJMP urges ASEAN correctional meet partners

Published Feb 16, 2025 06:23 am

BJMP releases 1,501 PDLs since March; records 1,151 PDLs infected with COVID

Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) chief Director Ruel Rivera emphasized the need for "caretakers" of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to conduct a progressive and humane correctional landscape.

In his speech during the on-going 2nd ASEAN Regional Correctional Conference (ARCC) on Sunday, Feb. 16, Rivera also underscored the conference’s significance in advancing regional correctional reforms.

“As we gather here today, we reaffirm our commitment to a correctional system that is not just secure but also transformative. This conference is more than a venue for discussion; it is a platform for action, collaboration, and the continuous pursuit of excellence in jail management and rehabilitation,” Rivera said.

“We are confident that the ARCC will further strengthen cooperation among ASEAN nations to enhance safekeeping, rehabilitation, and reintegration efforts for PDL,” he added. 

The event, hosted by the BJMP from Feb. 14 to 17., brought together top correctional officials and experts from across Southeast Asia to strengthen regional cooperation and advance prison system reforms.

Correctional leaders from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, and the Philippines are participating in the event, alongside international organizations and jail management experts.

With the theme “Weaving the ASEAN Regional Corrections Identity: Co-creating a Shared Vision of Transformation,” the conference is tackling pressing correctional issues, including rehabilitation programs, security measures, alternative sentencing, digital innovations for persons deprived of liberty (PDL) management, and strategies to position ASEAN as a global benchmark for modern prison practices.

Key discussions also focus on jail decongestion, prison health, reintegration programs, parole and probation, and initiatives to counter violent extremism.

As one of the hosts, Rivera said that the BJMP upholds its core values of “Makatao, Matino, Matatag,” ensuring that the country’s jail management system remains humane, ethical, and resilient. 

“These principles are central to the discussions as ASEAN nations work toward more effective and sustainable correctional policies,’’ he added.

With the conference, the BJMP stressed that it is expected to set the stage for stronger regional collaboration and policy alignment, reinforcing the shared goal of improving correctional systems across Southeast Asia.

Rivera noted that the Philippines’ hosting the major international event highlights its growing leadership in correctional reform, aligning with global efforts to uphold human rights and promote rehabilitation-centered prison management.

The country’s hosting of this year’s ARCC builds on the initiatives launched during the 1st ARCC, hosted by the Malaysian Correctional Academy (MCA) in Langkawi, Kedah, in 2024.

ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.