Jail Director Ruel Rivera, head of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), recently toured several jail facilities in the Southwestern Tagalog Region. His visit on February 21, 2025, aimed to assess the operational readiness and enhance the morale of the BJMP staff stationed across various city, district, and municipal jails.
During his tour, Rivera emphasized the importance of adhering strictly to jail regulations and providing top-notch service to individuals deprived of liberty (PDLs). His itinerary included stops at Mamburao District Jail, Sablayan Municipal Jail, and San Jose District Jail in Occidental Mindoro.
Joefrie Anglo, a BJMP Mimaropa information officer, highlighted the ongoing efforts to address the persistent issue of jail overcrowding. According to data from the Regional Operations Division, the jail congestion rate has decreased to 169 percent this year from previous levels, thanks to the completion of new facilities across the region.
The Mimaropa region, encompassing Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan, currently houses 2,097 PDLs in its 19 jail facilities, showing a positive trend in managing jail populations.