Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) chief Director Ruel Rivera stepped down after more than three decades in government service, closing his 31-year career with a lasting legacy in bringing back the dignity of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

In his retirement parade held at Camp Vicente Lim in Laguna on Thursday, June 11, Rivera paid tribute to the BJMP workforce of 26,804 uniformed and non-uniformed personnel, describing them as the “real leaders” of the institution.

“All reforms that took root in this bureau grew from your sacrifice, your sleepless nights, your missed birthdays, and your willingness to show up again and again for a job that the world too rarely applauds,” Rivera said.

“Your sacrifice and love for your work are the reason for BJMP’s success in recent years,” he added.

He reminded BJMP personnel of their responsibility to balance discipline with compassion in managing jail facilities across the country.

“Care for your health, protect your families, lead with love and discipline in equal measure, and never, never let the weight of this work make you forget the humanity of those in your custody. They are not your enemies, they are your purpose,” he said.

According to Rivera, his principles in leading the BJMP were shaped by his membership in the Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, saying the values he learned guided his approach to reforming the institution.

“We are taught to remove the rough edges within ourselves. These include prejudice, indifference, and smallness of spirit. In doing so, we become part of the great architecture of a just society,” he said.

He added that he sought to reform internal systems under the same philosophy of discipline and integrity.

“I have tried to remove the rough edges of a system that had grown too comfortable with its failures. I sought to align our conduct with integrity and to uphold human dignity in all treatment of persons,” Rivera said.

A graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Patnubay” Class of 1995, Rivera traced his sense of duty to the word “Patnubay,” which he said became a lifelong guide.

“I would spend the next three decades trying to be that light not only for my colleagues but for the most forgotten people in society, the persons deprived of liberty,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to colleagues, mentors, and family members who supported him through years of service marked by emergency deployments and extended duty hours.

“I carry pieces of all of you. You shaped my thinking and reminded me why this work is worth the cost,” he said. “To my family, who waited through midnight emergencies and weekend alerts, I am deeply grateful.”

Rivera hails from Lipa City, Batangas, and is the son of a barangay chairman and a market vendor, whom he credited for instilling his values.

“They taught me that dignity is not found in possessions but in faithful service. The measure of a person is seen in moments of sacrifice,” he said.

Outside government service, Rivera is affiliated with several civic and fraternal organizations, including Batangas Varsitarian, Mabuhay Shriners, and the Knights of Rizal.

Rivera was appointed BJMP chief on June 26, 2023, replacing Director Allan Iral, who stepped down on June 23, 2023.

He reached mandatory retirement age on January 5, 2026, but President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. extended his tenure until June 2026, allowing him to complete his service term before officially retiring.

Marcos has yet to appoint Rivera’s successor as of this writing.