BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is proposing an ordinance seeking to establish primary healthcare centers within Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facilities to ensure continuous and quality medical services for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
The measure, authored by Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the SP Committee on Health, underscores the city government’s commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of PDLs. It emphasizes that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right, particularly for detainees who face heightened health risks due to overcrowding and limited access to medical services.
Under the proposed ordinance, locally funded jail clinics will be set up in three BJMP-managed facilities in the city: the Metro Bacolod District Jail Male Dormitory, the Metro Bacolod District Jail Male Dormitory Annex, and the Metro Bacolod District Jail Female Dormitory Annex.
Ang said the ordinance aims to ensure uninterrupted access to quality healthcare for PDLs, promote public safety by minimizing detainee transfers to outside medical facilities, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, and support the rehabilitation and reintegration of detainees into society.
A Technical Working Group (TWG) will be created within 15 days upon the ordinance’s effectivity to craft an implementation plan and timeline.
The TWG will be composed of representatives from the Office of the City Mayor, City Health Office (CHO), City Treasurer’s Office (CTO), City Engineer’s Office (CEO), City Budget Office, Public Order and Safety Office (POSO), and the wardens of the three BJMP district jails.
According to Ang, the proposed healthcare centers will include clinic rooms with a minimum floor area of eight square meters, a sterilization area, and designated sputum collection spaces.
The facilities will be equipped with essential medical equipment, including oxygen tanks, nebulizers, suction machines, mobile X-ray units, ultrasound machines, and birthing tables. Essential medicines such as first-line antibiotics, analgesics, and anti-hypertensive drugs will also be made available.
Funding for the initiative will be sourced from the CHO and other local funds, with additional appropriations to be included in the annual or supplemental city budget, subject to existing laws and regulations.
If enacted, the ordinance is expected to significantly enhance healthcare services for detainees, reduce the risk of disease transmission within jail facilities, and contribute to more humane detention conditions in the city.
The proposed measure was approved for first reading during the City Council’s regular session last week./PN
