MARAWI JAIL REFORMS FEATURED ON SCREEN DOCUMENTARY

THE new and congested-free Marawi City Jail of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is a picture of a perfect transformation from an overcrowded and outdated facility to a modern correctional institution that upholds human rights and rehabilitation-centered policies.

This was the description of Jail Director Ruel Rivera, who emphasized the Bureau’s commitment to humane and secure jail management to their wards – the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

“Maluwag, maganda at maginhawa para sa ating mga PDL. Marami pang ganitong facility ang ating wino-work-out sa ngayon,” Rivera said at the sidelines of the exclusive screening of “New, Jail, New Ways” Monday afternoon at Cinema 7 of SM North EDSA in Quezon City.

Rivera also announced at least two ground-breaking projects  – one in San Mateo, Rizal and the other in Baguio City.

The 20-minute documentary film highlights the transformative journey of the New Marawi City Jail and its impact on the Philippine Correctional system, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Directed by Juan Paolo Gopez, the documentary chronicles the five-month transition planning process for the New Marawi City Jail, providing an in-depth look at its transformation from an overcrowded and outdated facility to a modern correctional institution that upholds human rights and rehabilitation-centered policies.

Jail Director Rivera said the new facility was designed to address gaps and challenges in rehabilitation efforts, as its infrastructure now conforms to international humanitarian standards.

“Through this documentary, we hope to inspire further innovations in jail management, ensuring that persons deprived of liberty are given the opportunity for genuine reform and reintegration into society,” he said.

Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most congested correctional systems, “New Jail, New Ways” highlights how the BJMP, in collaboration with the UNODC and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), developed a pioneering transition plan for the facility.

Constructed under Task Force Bangon Marawi following the devastation of the 2017 Marawi siege, the New Marawi City Jail integrates international standards in classification, risk assessment, and security protocols for persons deprived of liberty (PDL).

From its initial facility design in 2018 to its inauguration in June 2024, the film captures the challenges and breakthroughs of modernizing jail management in a post-conflict area.

Through exclusive interviews with jail officials, officers, community partners, and PDLs, the documentary underscores the critical role of policy reforms, capacity-building, and inter-agency collaboration in reshaping the future of correctional facilities in the country.

Among the key personalities who attended the 20-minute film-showing were Interior Undersecretary Serafin Barretto, Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco, Associate Justice Jaime Fortunato A. Caringal of the Court of Appeals, and BuCor Director-General Gregorio Catapang.

Joining them was Australian Embassy Second Secretary Matthew Boyall, along with government and non-government partners of the UNODC and BJMP, who have contributed to projects in Marawi.

According to the UNODC, the new Marawi City Jail “symbolizes change” in the Philippines penal system and was established in accordance to the Nelson Mandela Rules.