*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD
Sometimes, our nation’s justice system feels like a symphony with several talented musicians playing their own melodies—each one skilled, each one important—but not always in harmony. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), the Provincial Jails, and the Juvenile Rehabilitation Facilities each hold a vital instrument in this orchestra of justice. Yet, without a unified conductor—without synchronization—the beautiful intention of justice often turns into noise. As someone who has spent decades studying, teaching, and working alongside the country’s finest officers and administrators, I see not a lack of effort, but a need for integration, modernization, and a clearer sense of direction.
In this blog, I cannot help but mention the present Chief of the BJMP, Director Ruel S. Rivera, a man I am proud to call my former student in the Directorial Staff Course of the Philippine Public Safety College. Holding the equivalent rank of a Police Major General, Director Rivera has served with vision, humility, and integrity. Under his leadership, the BJMP has continued its transformation toward professionalization and humane corrections. As he approaches his mandatory retirement in January 2026, I personally believe that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should consider him for another post in government service. His leadership and moral compass are assets this country cannot afford to lose, especially in a time when integrity in public safety leadership is both rare and precious.
Understanding the System We Have Today
In the Philippine criminal justice system, the BJMP, BuCor, Provincial Jails, and Juvenile Rehabilitation Facilities form the four pillars of custodial and rehabilitative justice. Each institution serves a distinct purpose—some handle temporary detention, others focus on long-term correction and moral reform. However, overlapping functions and fragmented jurisdictions have created inefficiencies that weaken the nation’s pursuit of genuine justice.
The BJMP, under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), supervises city, municipal, and district jails where Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) await trial or serve sentences of less than three years. These are not merely detention centers but crucibles of reflection—places where many individuals still hold hope for redemption and reintegration. Meanwhile, the BuCor, under the Department of Justice (DOJ), oversees national prisons that house inmates serving sentences of three years or more. Here, rehabilitation becomes long-term and deeply transformative, moving from mere confinement to correction of behavior, mindset, and moral character.
Alongside them are the Provincial Jails, managed by the Local Government Units (LGUs) through the provincial governors. These facilities play a bridging role between local and national custody systems. However, the dependence on local budgets results in unequal standards—where some provinces maintain decent facilities, while others barely provide humane conditions. This disparity erodes the principle that justice should be equal for all, regardless of location.
Meanwhile, Juvenile Rehabilitation Facilities, including
Bahay Pag-asa centers, cater to Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL). These
centers, often under local social welfare offices, are meant to reform rather
than punish. Yet many of them lack proper funding, staffing, and structured
programs. Instead of being sanctuaries of second chances, they sometimes become
holding areas where young lives stagnate in uncertainty.
The Case for Reform and Modernization
As an educator and researcher in the field of law enforcement
and corrections, I believe the Philippines must now enact a comprehensive
Corrections Reform and Modernization Law. The goal is not to overhaul the
entire system but to harmonize it—creating one symphony under a single baton.
- Turnover
of Provincial Jails to BJMP
The Provincial Jails should be turned over to the BJMP to
standardize operations, promote consistency, and enhance accountability. A
unified command will ensure all PDLs—whether in city, municipal, or provincial
custody—receive uniform treatment and rehabilitation programs. Director Rivera
has been one of the advocates for such rationalization, knowing that unity in
administration results in efficiency and discipline.
- Creation
of a BJMP Directorate for Juvenile and Women’s Facilities
The BJMP must grow beyond its current mandate. There is a
pressing need to establish a Directorate for Juvenile and Women’s Facilities
under its structure. This will professionalize the management of Bahay Pag-asa
centers and ensure that children in conflict with the law are handled by
trained officers who understand both discipline and care. It is time to treat
these children not as offenders, but as souls in transition, deserving of
guidance and compassion.
- Transfer
of BJMP from DILG to DOJ
Another necessary step is to transfer the BJMP from the DILG
to the DOJ. This move aligns with international standards where corrections,
prisons, and rehabilitation all fall under one department—usually the Ministry
or Department of Justice. Such integration ensures consistent policy direction,
shared resources, and unified training systems between BJMP, BuCor, and the
Parole and Probation Administration (PPA). This reform will bridge the
long-standing divide between detention and rehabilitation, ensuring that
correctional work follows a seamless flow from arrest to reintegration.
Effective Jail Management as Passive Crime Prevention
It is also important to emphasize that effective jail management, safekeeping, and rehabilitation act as a passive yet powerful form of crime prevention. A professionally run jail system transforms PDLs into productive, law-abiding citizens. When inmates receive humane treatment, moral formation, and vocational opportunities, the likelihood of recidivism decreases dramatically.
Conversely, overcrowded and neglected facilities breed anger, despair, and criminal syndicates. Every poorly managed jail is a potential factory of future crime. But every well-managed correctional institution is a school of transformation, turning broken lives into hopeful stories. When rehabilitation works, it prevents crime without firing a gun, without a police chase, without another victim. It is peace-building through moral restoration.
In this way, jail management transcends mere security—it
becomes a form of silent nation-building, reforming hearts while safeguarding
communities.
Toward a Modernized and Unified Correctional System
True modernization is not just about building new walls or expanding facilities—it is about building new mindsets. We must professionalize our personnel, digitize records, and prioritize the welfare of both officers and inmates. The Philippines can no longer afford a correctional system fragmented by bureaucracy. It must move toward a holistic and humane model where every part of the system—jail, prison, or juvenile facility—works under one integrated philosophy of justice, compassion, and efficiency.
As someone who has taught and guided many of our country’s present leaders in the field of public safety, including Director Rivera, I see the Philippines standing at a pivotal moment. We can either maintain the fragmented system that breeds confusion and inefficiency—or we can take bold steps toward unification, modernization, and moral leadership.
If there is a time to reform, that time is now. And if there are leaders capable of carrying this vision forward, Director Rivera and the many dedicated men and women of the BJMP are proof that this nation still has hope.
In the end, the strength of our correctional system is not
measured by the height of its fences, but by the depth of its humanity—by how
well it reforms lives, restores dignity, and rebuilds the moral foundation of
our nation, one reformed citizen at a time.
