BJMP-8 becomes resourceful to feed inmates amid food price hikes

TACLOBAN CITY, Sept. 6  -- With a budget of only PHP60 per inmate, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Eastern Visayas (BJMP-8) admitted that it is a big headache to feed all prisoners with the increase in food prices. 

BJMP Eastern Visayas assistant regional director Jail Supt. Manuel Chan said they have to be resourceful to make sure that no one among the 2,964 prisoners will go hungry.

The PHP60 food budget covers the expense for 400 grams of rice for each one, fish or meat, vegetables, spices, firewood or gas for cooking, and transport cost of food from the market to jail facilities.

“The hardest was the time when there was no supply of cheaper rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) for two months. We have to buy stocks from private traders at a higher price. We really have to adjust due to increasing prices,” Chan told reporters in a press briefing Thursday.

The BJMP buys a sack of rice at PHP2,500 per sack from private traders, way up than the PHP1,600 selling price of NFA. For the Tacloban City jail alone, the BJMP needs 320 bags of rice each month.

Jail facilities and the disaster response of the Department of Social Welfare and Development are the two priorities of NFA in allocating its supply. The grains agency in Eastern Visayas has been receiving shipments of 480,000 bags from Thailand since last month.

High inflation rate forced BJMP personnel to feed prisoners with a cup of coffee and two rolls of small bread for breakfast in some days.

From January to July 2018, the region’s average inflation rate rose to 5.3 percent, more than the 3.4 percent recorded in the same period last year. For July alone, inflation surged to 5.9 percent from 3.2 percent a year ago.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages posted the highest inflation hike among commodities at 8.2 percent in July, higher than the 7.9 percent in June, and 7.3 percent in May.

Adding to the problem are the heavily congested jails. As of this week, the 23 BJMP-managed jails registered a congestion rate of 700 percent, meaning cells have been accommodating inmates seven times their capacity.

Under the United Nation’s standard, a prisoner should have a living space of 4.70 square meters, but in the region, each prisoner has an allotted space of 0.75 square meter.

The most overcrowded is the jail in Catbalogan City with congestion rate of 1,500 percent. Congestion problem is also serious in jail cells of Tacloban City; Dolores, Eastern Samar; Baybay City; San Juan, Southern Leyte; Ormoc City; Basey, Samar; Maasin City; and Sogod, Southern Leyte.

Most inmates have been jailed due to drug-related charges. Primarily, its clients are detainees accused before a court, undergoing investigation, awaiting final judgment and those who are serving three years and below sentence. (SQM/PNA)