Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan expressed his support for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) call to increase the food and medical allowance for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) under the proposed 2025 national budget.
According to Yamsuan, the current budget of ₱70 per day for food and ₱15 per day for medical expenses per PDL under BJMP’s care is insufficient to meet their nutritional and health requirements.
During the budget deliberations held by the House Committee on Appropriations for BJMP’s proposed 2025 budget, Jail Director Ruel Rivera requested that the food allowance be raised to ₱100 per day, with the medical allowance increased to ₱30 per day.
Yamsuan emphasized that the current allowances provide minimal nutrition and inadequate medical care for PDLs.
The severe congestion in prisons, the shortage of health professionals, and the inadequate ₱15 daily medical allowance exacerbate the health conditions of PDLs.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) also supports BJMP’s request to increase the food and medical allowances for PDLs.
Yamsuan highlighted that the BJMP has only 16 medical officers and three psychiatrists available to provide healthcare services to the PDL population.
In response to these challenges, Yamsuan is advocating for House Bill 8672, which aims to unify the fragmented correctional system.
The proposed bill seeks to consolidate the BJMP under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), along with correctional and jail services managed by provincial governments, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP), and the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), currently under the Department of Justice (DOJ).