Iligan BJMP introduces innovations in jail management

By Ted Khan R Juanite and Ric Clet

A creative approach to prisoner and jail management has been introduced by its warden, CINSP Guy Jason J. Reyes after a successful stint at the Bukidnon Provincial Jail.

Reyes is the newly designated city warden of the BJMP facility in Iligan City, and has served for less than one year. However, within his service period, he has already made significant changes in the facility, one of which is the improvement of the façade of the building, and the setting up of security fences and alleys.  When Reyes was transferred to the Iligan City Jail, he mobilized the inmates to repaint the buildings and do some improvements like landscaping.

Among the innovations that Reyes has introduced is the putting up of a bakery within the BJMP facility and training qualified prisoners in baking.  The bakery produces high quality products that are sold within the compound.  When an American tourist and philanthropist visited Iligan, he also visited the BJMP.  The result of that visit was the setting up of a modern parlor and barber shop based on donations of equipment and construction materials given by the philanthropist known as “Kuya Bob” from where the Kuya Bob Barber Shop was named.

Reyes believes that the jail is not only a place for reform but a venue for providing opportunities for right livelihood for inmates.   In an interview with the Iligan City Tri Media group during its jail visit, Reyes said that inmates in the Iligan BMP are called “residents.”

Reyes was the only applicant in the DOH “Red Orchid Competition,” whereby government offices are evaluated as to their degree of tobacco-free environment.  He said the DOH came to the facility and after the visit, he was told that the BJMP Iligan would be qualified for national nomination.  “In Iligan City I was the only applicant for this competition,” Reyes said.  Reyes also received the same award in Malaybalay and garnered a grand slam award in Ozamiz City where he was previously assigned there as warden.

In less than a year, the Iligan City Jail has already established a modern Beauty Parlor and Barber shop, bakery, food court and other income-generating projects run by its residents (inmates).  “The customers are their relatives and outsiders with minimal rates and services”, Reyes said.  He said, through this generated income, residents have put up a general fund, with 50/50 sharing between the residents and the BJMP. “If one will be hospitalized, an initial of P500.00 pesos and P100 pesos for medicines will be taken from their general fund”, Reyes said.

“The city jail is now called a  “community” with its inmates called residents with individual functions such as expediters equivalent to barangay police, kitchen staff, landscaping personnel and those in charge for cleaning the area”, the warden said.   The community calls for a morning meeting to discuss problems, issues and concerns.  Reyes imposed a cardinal rule of no drugs, no thieves, and no sexual harassment that would develop residents’ values on honesty.  He said that Iligan City has one (1) cell for female, 19 cells for male residents, and one (1) isolation cell for all the 490 residents.  Reyes said the Iligan City Jail can also become a tourist destination subject to well-defined, stringent security measures.

Philip Kene Jaudian, Iligan Tri-Media’s corporate secretary nominated Reyes for an award by the press organization during its forthcoming induction of officers, “FOR INTRODUCING SIGNIFICANT, CREATIVE, & HIGH IMPACT INNOVATIONS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BJMP LEADING TO EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM.”