BJMP eyes more jail facilities to ease congestion in Central Visayas

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is pushing to build more jails in Central Visayas as overcrowding continues, with some cells housing more than twice the ideal number of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

The agency said that reducing congestion is one of its priorities as it works to improve jail conditions. These include preparations for extreme heat and infectious diseases.

BJMP 7 Jail Inspector Rojelito Sison said that the bureau is coordinating with local government units (LGU) and seeking national support.

READ: Cebu City eyes shift to ‘alternative sentencing’ to decongest jails

New jail being built in Consolacion

“We are coordinating with the LGU and the national headquarters for the possible construction of a new facility para mabawasan ‘yong congestion sa bawat (to ease the congestion in every) jail facility,” Sison said during a media forum.

Across at least 20 jail facilities BJMP operates in Central Visayas, Sison said that some jail cells currently house more than 40 PDLs.

He noted that this exceeds the ideal capacity of 20 to 30 inmates per standard cell.

Sison added that construction of a new jail in Consolacion is already underway to help reduce congestion in the municipal jail. The groundbreaking took place in March 2025.

Health measures amid jail congestion

Despite overcrowding, Sison said that BJMP has put measures in place to protect PDLs from heat-related illnesses and other health risks.

“We see to it na may good ventilation yung mga selda natin, and we are also conducting exercises for the PDL every morning,” Sison said.

(We make sure our jail cells have proper ventilation, and we also conduct morning exercise sessions for the PDLs.)

READ: P55 billion more: Can building more prisons solve overcrowding?

He said that jail nurses remain on standby to monitor inmates for heat-related illnesses amid the humid weather currently affecting parts of the country and looming El Niño.

Disease monitoring

Sison said that BJMP has not recorded any heat stroke cases among PDLs in Central Visayas as of early July.

However, records from the bureau’s Health Service Division showed six cases of sore eyes, 288 cases of scabies, and nine cases of chickenpox during the last quarter.

Inmates with infectious diseases are immediately assessed by jail nurses before being referred to public hospitals when necessary. A court must approve their transfer first.

“We refer to the public hospital ‘yong PDL, of course coordinated with the court, para ma-attend ng mga specific experts natin,” Sison said.

READ: COA says 70 percent of jails congested: ‘Unhealthy living conditions’

(We refer PDLs to public hospitals, in coordination with the court, so the appropriate medical specialists can attend to them.)

The measures are consistent with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, or Mandela Rules.

These state that prisoners should receive the same standard of healthcare available in the community and have access to medical services without discrimination.

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