THE Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) announced last Saturday it has allowed the resumption of face-to-face visitation of prisoners.
“Bilang maagang pamasko sa ating mga PDL at sa kanilang mga pamilya, muli po nating pinapahintulutan ang pagkakaroon ng face-to-face visitation sa ating mga pasilidad. Bahagi ng pagmamalasakit natin sa kanila ang gawin ang lahat ng paraan upang makapiling din nila ang kanilang mga pamilya [As an early Christmas to persons deprived of liberty (PDL) and their families, we are again allowing face-to-face visitation in our facilities. Part of our concern for them is to do everything possible so that they can be with their families as well],” BJMP chief Jail Director Allan S. Iral was quoted in a statement as saying.
Considering the congestion rate in the majority of BJMP jail facilities, only 25 percent of the total PDL population of the jail facility shall be allowed to avail of face-to-face visitation in a single visitation day.
Only immediate family members of PDL shall be allowed to visit and avail of the “Contact Visitation”—provided that their names are included in the “Approved Visitor’s List” found in the national monitoring system and PDL single carpeta system and that they have scheduled their visit.
To ensure that everyone is protected from the virus, visitors who wish to avail of an in-contact visitation must be fully vaccinated, preferably with a booster shot against Covid-19 and proof of this must be presented prior to jail entry, according to Iral.
In the event that visitors are not vaccinated, they may enter the jail facility as long as they can show proof that they tested negative for Covid-19 through an RT-PCR test or antigen test taken 24 hours to 72 hours prior to entry.
Visitation hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. while on Saturday and Sunday are from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., resuming at 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Mondays and Fridays are reserved for PDL’s washday and sanitation of the entire jail facility.
Other modes of visitation such as the e-dalaw program for PDLs are still available to maximize visitation and in cases where face-to-face visitation cannot be implemented due to heightened community risk level, security, or other related circumstances.
Of the 477 jail facilities under the BJMP, only those with at least 85 percent of their personnel and PDL are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 shall implement in-person or contact visitation.
As of Friday, a total of 126, 440 PDL, or 97.44 percent out of the 129,766 jail population already received Covid-19 jabs, data from the BJMP revealed.
Of the 126,440 PDL vaccinated, 116,398 already received their first dose, 112,772 completed their second dose and 10,042 were inoculated with a single dose vaccine.
Meanwhile, 106,134 PDL (81.79 percent of the jail population) had already received their booster shot against Covid-19.
In Metro Manila, BJMP-NCR Regional Director Jail Chief Superintendent Efren A. Nemeño recently confirmed that all 39 jails are now ready for the resumption of Contact Visitation next week.
Earlier this week, jails in the National Capital Region have already conducted dry runs to ensure the proper implementation of procedures and protocols for the entry of visitors inside the facility.
“While we are mindful of the influx of visitors this season, we are also ensuring the operational readiness of our jail facilities particularly their management plan and security protocols during the holiday season,” Nemeño said.
The BJMP Regional Covid-19 Task Force is tasked to monitor the conduct and implementation of contact visitation in all jail facilities under their jurisdiction.
Last March 20, 2020, the BJMP implemented the absolute lockdown of all its jail facilities nationwide. During the easing of jail lockdown in April 20, 2022, jail visits were allowed but was limited to “no contact visitation” wherein visitors and PDL meet but are separated by a physical barrier.
Only essential items such as additional medicines and special dietary requirements can be brought to the facility by the families of the PDL subject to usual searching procedures and security protocols.
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