CALABARZON (Region 4A) and Metro Manila have the dubious distinction of hosting the top three worst jails in the country based on 2022 figures from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Data in the 2022 audit of the BJMP showed Calabarzon has 60 jails with a total ideal capacity of 5,237 inmates but are housing 24,801 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
According to the Commission on Audit, Dasmariñas City Jail- Female Dormitory in Cavite is the country’s single most overcrowded jail with a congestion rate of 2,639 percent.
Coming in second is the San Mateo Municipal Jail-Male Dormitory in the province of Rizal with a 2,523 percent congestion rate.
Muntinlupa City Jail-Male Dormitory in Metro Manila stood in at third spot with a 2,266 percent congestion rate.
Based on the BJMP Manual on Habitat, Water, Sanitation, and Kitchen in Jails, the ideal habitable floor area per inmate is 4.7 square meters with one toilet, one wash area, and one bath area to be shared by two PDLs.
This was supposed to be the condition in all BJMP facilities, including district jails, city jails, municipal jails, extension jails, and female dormitories.
But data showed total jail population as of yearend 2022 hit 127,031, slightly higher compared to 125,347 in 2021.
“Considering that the Bureau only has a total cell area of 219,498 sqm with a total ideal capacity of 46,702, thus 377,547.7 sqm are still needed to address jail congestion,” the audit team said.
From 474 jails in 2021, the BJMP was able to add four more last year to bring the total to 478.
However, the four new additions were only able to provide 16,773 sqm of extra floor space or a pitiful 4.34 percent of what was required.
Auditors acknowledged that the BJMP has made strides in professionalizing the jail services, including food, medical, and rehabilitation supplies of PDLs even as congestion remains a serious problem compounded by the scarcity of resources and manpower.
The COA said other than building more jails, one way to ease up overcrowding is by speeding up resolutions of pending cases of PDLs in various courts and addressing the issue of PDLs who are facing bailable offenses but who cannot exercise the said right due to their inability to come up with the required amount to post a bond.
Auditors said 89 percent or 113,686 PDLs have cases that are still on trial or awaiting final judgment.
“Congestion in jails, if not fully addressed will continue to result to health and sanitation problems and increased gang affiliation,” the COA added.
