59 % of Baguio male inmates drug offenders

BAGUIO CITY – Around 59 percent of the city jail’s population here are drug offenders.       
Jail superintendent April Rose W. Ayangwa, warden of the jail’s male dorm, said 216 out of the facility’s 376 persons deprived of liberty are drug offenders that account for 59 percent of the total jail population.           
    She said following drug cases on top of the list of PDLs is rape which accounts for 10.16 percent of the PDLs detained in the male dorm.        
    She said the facility implements programs such as therapeutic community modality program, Katatagan, Kalusugan at Damayan sa Komunidad , alternative learning system, drug symposia and lectures on the ill effects of illegal drugs, outpatient drug treatment and rehabilitation  program by the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and other development opportunities in line with the government’s program on the whole-of-agency approach to eradicate illegal drugs in the country and the Buhay ay Ingatan Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) advocacy program of the Department of the Interior and Local government (DILG).
    On the data of PDLs with special needs, Ayangwa revealed that there are 26 Muslim residents, 14 members of the LGBTQIA+ community, 10 senior citizens, 8 diabetic patients and 4 tuberculosis patients.        
    She said these PDLs had already been separate and have their own respective dorms inside the male dorm and that their needs are being addressed by the jail personnel on duty.        
    The jail officer said regular treatment and monitoring of all PDLs under medication for tuberculosis, hypertension, psyche and other related concerns are being administered by the assigned health personnel.        

According to her, the male dorm has provided and will continue to provide various training skills for the development of the PDLs as part of the vision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) as an agency capable to be highly efficient in providing humane safekeeping and developmental opportunities to PDLs.            

At the start of the quarter, the male dorm has coordinated with the Technical Education and Skills development Authority (TESDA) and other service providers where the facility manages skills training such as tile setting, dressmaking, rattan weaving, and bayong making.           

Ayangwa explained that through these trainings, the PDLs were able to produce exceptional products which the public can check in the facility’s official Facebook page or they can directly visit the facility for orders.   

She stipulated that the increase in livelihood programs presents income-generating activities to PDLs during their confinement where they are able to earn for their personal upkeep and for financial support to their families. By Dexter A. See