ILOILO — Alarmed by the rising heat index across Western Visayas, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Region 6 has ordered the immediate implementation of comprehensive heat mitigation and health protection measures in all jail facilities to protect Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) and jail personnel from extreme heat conditions.
The directive, issued by BJMP-6 chief Jail Senior Superintendent Jhon Montero, came amid intensifying concerns over the impact of El Niño and dangerously rising temperatures inside overcrowded detention facilities in the region.
All jail facilities were ordered to ensure proper ventilation in detention cells, establish shaded and cooling areas, adjust activity schedules during peak heat hours, and maintain adequate potable water supply.
Jail units were also instructed to intensify sanitation and disinfection efforts, strengthen waste management systems, and ensure the availability of hygiene supplies and handwashing stations.
To prevent heat-related illnesses, jail facilities were directed to strictly enforce regular hydration, provide sufficient rest and cooling breaks, and limit strenuous activities during periods of extreme heat.
Daily health monitoring and heat illness surveillance are likewise being implemented, while jail clinics are being equipped with essential medicines, oral rehydration solution (ORS), intravenous fluids, and emergency medical supplies.
BJMP-6 also emphasized food safety and nutrition measures, including close monitoring of possible water- and food-borne diseases, while special attention will be given to vulnerable PDLs such as senior citizens, pregnant women, persons with chronic illnesses, and persons with disabilities.
Meanwhile, personnel welfare measures include adjusted duty schedules, hydration protocols, and continuous orientation on heat-related illness prevention and emergency response procedures.
“To the families and loved ones of our PDLs, rest assured that the BJMP regional office will be proactive in its measures to prevent the impact of Niño in our jail facilities and to our PDLs. This is to ensure that our PDLs’ well-being and health will be given the full attention,” Montero said.
BJMP-6 reiterated its commitment to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of both inmates and jail personnel through proactive and responsive measures amid the ongoing extreme weather conditions./PN
