DAVAO CITY- The new Davao City Jail facility located in Wangan, Calinan District is already 95% complete and BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) officials are expecting that it will be completed and utilized this year.
“The implementing agency of the Wangan jail is the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) right now 95% na po ang completion rate, we are just waiting for the DPWH to turn it over to us and hopefully this year magamit na natin ang jail (We can use the jail),” Jail Captain Edo Lobenia, spokesperson of BJMP-XI said.
Lobenia said that if the Wangan jail will be utilized they will have a zero percent congestion rate for the Davao City Jail. “ Kasi ngayon (currently) we have 3,000 plus Persons Deprived of Liberty sa male dormitory,” Lobenia said.
The present Davao City Jail was designed for an ideal capacity of 541 PDLs and currently hovers more than 300% congestion rate.
With the Wangan jail, Lobenia said they are expecting that the congestion rate in the Davao City Jail will drop to zero.
He said despite the high congestion rate they are working hard to follow the standards for congestion rate set by the United Nations minimum standard. “BJMP endeavors to have humane conditions, we are focused on providing them humane conditions and after that the rehabilitation program,” Lobenia said.
“Marami po tayong ginagawa sa ating mga bilangguan especially focused on education,” Lobenia said during the recent Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas held on July 30 at Camp Catitipan, Police Regional Office-XI headquarters.
(We have many initiatives especially focused on education.)
Among the education programs inside the Davao City Jail include the alternative learning system and the college education behind bars. (RGA/PIA)
