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

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.