Bureau of Jail Management and Penology sustains its commitment to the provision of opportunities that can pave the way towards total reformation for individuals that had been led astray from the law

1. BJMP-Kalinga, Committed to
Meaningful Reform for Inmates
by Magnolia Lazaro Alunday
Under the current leadership of
Warden Romel C. Basilan, the Bureau
of Jail Management and Penology
sustains its commitment to the provision
of opportunities that can pave the way
towards total reformation for individuals
that had been led astray from the law.
As a manifestation of this role,
the Bureau has been establishing
linkage with a number of government
and non-government organizations that
provide learning and training activities,
most notably the Department of
Education (Dep-Ed) through its
Alternative Learning System (ALS) and
the Technical Skills and Development
Authority (TESDA).
Packaged as a continuing program of Dep-Ed, the ALS initiative intends to bring
education right where the learner is situated – like in the rural areas and the jail. Dep-Ed
City Division of Tabuk, through ALS Coordinator Marionette Dooma, forged a collaborative
partnership with BJMP for the identification of learners who have not completed secondary
education, which gave a total of 40 learners. With this number, Dep-Ed and BJMP set up
Tuesdays and Wednesdays as the learning sessions for the student-inmates.
It has come to my observation that – as a former college instructor prior to my
BJMP post – the teaching-learning environment at the BJMP is a lot different from the
usual classroom setting that teachers have been used to. Fortunately, this has not
discouraged the mobile teachers to go ahead and teach the willing students, so that
hopefully by the time they come out of jail, they shall already be holding their high school
diplomas. For the twice-a-week session with the learners, Dep-Ed has detailed Mobile
Teacher Anacita G. Bongngat.
Bringing education into the premises of BJMP is not that easy to organize anf
manage, considering the lack of more spacious area to conduct various activities within
BJMP, but the strong leadership of Warden Basilan has become vey much contributory to
the smooth conduct of the classes, which we match on our own through our
accommodating behaviour as BJMP personnel.
As for TESDA’s entry to BJMP, it has been part of my tasks also to watch out for
training opportunities that we can bring in to the jail – through making contact with well-
STRONG SUPPORT FROM CITY & PROVINCIAL
OFFICIALS. City Vice Mayor Darwin C. Estraňero and
Provincial Board Member Gelacio Bongngat join Dr.
Lorraine Tubban of Dep-Ed Tabuk City in brining ALS
to BJMP, through Warden Romel Basilan

2. meaning organizations and agencies in the
city, thereby strengthening BJMP’s
functions on community relations. In fact a
training opportunity has wrapped up
already, courtesy of TESDA. The trainees
were taught with advanced skills in
massage therapy.
These developments clearly reflect
the Bureau’s intent to upgrade the inmates
with life-changing skills while they are
serving time – thus painting also a more
humane reputation for the agency.
“Of course we never waver on our
primary mandates in relation to the inmates
who remain to be under our custody,” Warden Basilan said, “but we are trying our best, as
much as we could, to also set their eyes on the fact that there is life after jail. Luckily, we
have the strong support of our city and provincial officials.”
Indeed, this can be demonstrated as well by the recent training opportunity that
were delivered by TESDA to thirty inmates recently – through the Office of Congressman
Manuel S. Agyao who sponsored the skills training on Carpentry, Masonry and Tiles
Setting. With such marketable skills, complete with a National Certificate, then we can rest
assured that the inmates, assuming they will be guiltless in the eyes of the law, will rejoin
the outside world and contribute to community-building. – with Marciano A. Paroy Jr.
LUNTIAN SA BILANGGUAN is BJMP’s advocacy
on re-greening Mother Earth and our contribution
to the promotion of organic farming.