Women possess the extraordinary ability to transform their circumstances into an opportunity to create a brighter future for both themselves and their loved ones. 

This is especially true for Monique, not her real name, and the female Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) under the care of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Calabarzon. 

While serving her time at the Sta. Rosa City Jail Female Dormitory, Monique said she, along with the other PDLs kept themselves busy through the available online seminars and skills training activities done inside the jail facility. 

“We attend online seminars and skills training. There are also service providers who come over to facilitate our schooling since some of us are still studying in elementary, Junior High School, Senior High School, until college,” Monique explained.

Monique is one of the 2,591 female PDLs under the jurisdiction of BJMP Calabarzon. In contrast to their male counterparts, women constitute only 11 percent of the entire jail population in the region. 

BJMP Calabarzon Regional Director JCSupt. Hilbert Flor stressed that they prioritize the well-being and development of PDLs to facilitate their successful integration into society post-incarceration. 

“The BJMP has various programs for all PDLs under our Welfare and Development [program]. This is free for all female PDLs who are also the beneficiaries of these programs,” 

Flor added: “There is no special treatment given to female PDLs. However, we ensure strict adherence to Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of PDLs and laws that mandate basic human rights for all PDLs,”

PDLs are still entitled to basic human rights and the things they enjoy outside the jail the access to education through the Alternative Learning System (ALS), provision for livelihood and skills training with the necessary tools necessary for employment or business opportunities.

The jail bureau also works closely with the Department of Health (DOH) and various local government units to provide specialized healthcare services, including family planning and prenatal care, as well as mental health services for a better outlook in life.

“Each of our jail facilities has mental health officers to assist female PDLs in coping with their circumstances.  Their role is to ensure that PDLs are mentally prepared to serve their sentences and give them support. Of course, we also provide their basic needs such as food, clothes, and lodging,” Flor explained.

Special provisions for women and children are also institutionalized, with designated lactation areas for breastfeeding mothers and child-friendly spaces. 

Additionally, approximately 40 jail facilities are equipped with specially built conjugal visitation areas for the spouses and legal partners of male PDLs, while some utilize the e-Dalaw service, offering an alternative to in-person visitation between PDLs and their families through supervised video calls.

For Monique, the programs in place for them are beneficial in helping them maintain good relations with their families, so their relationship remains good while serving their sentence.

The celebration of National Women’s Month celebrates the nation’s achievements in promoting progressive rights for Filipino women. Their active involvement in government programs serves as a testament that despite their circumstances, female PDLs still deserve equal opportunities in the face of the law. (PB/PIA-4A/BJMP Regional Office CALABARZON/FACEBOOK)