The congestion rate in Philippine jails has gone down to 358 percent this year from 387 percent in 2022, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said.

BJMP chief Jail Director Ruel Rivera disclosed this in his speech during the celebration of the bureau's 32nd founding anniversary on Saturday.

The BJMP admitted that it still has a long way to go in terms of addressing overcrowding in jails.

According to the agency, there are now 479 jail facilities in the country, 142 of which were newly built. Still, 329 of those remain congested.

That’s why it is looking at other ways to tackle the problem like ensuring the timely release of inmates.

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“As of present, the BJMP has remained to have zero overstaying PDL (Persons Deprived of Liberty). All thanks to our BJMP personnel who diligently coordinate with courts and monitor the expected release dates of PDL,” said Rivera.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., who was guest speaker for the event, also revealed that they are working on improving the BJMP’s reintegration program to reduce the number of repeat offenders clogging up the system.

He noted that 30 percent of the 126,000 inmates in the country are repeat offenders who, he said, probably struggled to find a decent job when they were freed because of the stigma surrounding ex-convicts.

“So bago mo ilalabas yan, ihahanda mo na yan. Titingnan mo skills niya. Pag labas mo, baka pwede kang magtrabaho sa kumpanyang ito. Kino-contact na namin yung company. I’m sure maraming programs ang LGUs. At maraming tutulong na NGOs. So dun mag job matching ka na,” he explained.

“Saan ka titira? Subukan namin hanapan ka ng uupahan,” he added.

Abalos said they will also help ex-convicts secure police and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances which are required when applying for a job.

• Malabon City Jail inmates protest alleged mistreatment

Abalos said he is currently working out the details of the program with Rivera. He aims to have it implemented within the year.

Malabon City Jail riot

BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Bustinera, meanwhile, said that they have completed their investigation into alleged anomalies at the Malabon City Jail which led to inmates protesting last month.

Bustinera said they are now preparing to file administrative cases against prison officials who have been accused of abusing inmates.

Malabon’s jail warden was axed following the incident.