BJMP maintains COVID-19 free status

MANILA, Philippines — Detention facilities of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) have been free of COVID-19 for nearly a month.

The BJMP said it has not recorded a single COVID case among its personnel and inmates.

The last COVID-19 case posted by the bureau was on March 27, according to BJMP Director Allan Iral.

He instructed BJMP officers as well as city and municipal jails to continue the strict implementation of COVID-19 protocols to ensure the health and wellness of prisoners.

A total of 112,044 inmates under the supervision of the BJMP are fully vaccinated while 9,852 are waiting for their second dose. At least 4,225 inmates remain unvaccinated.

Around 1,858 inmates at the Quezon City Jail male dormitory have received booster shots.

As the Quezon City jail reached its highest vaccination rate at 99.7 percent, jail warden Supt. Michelle Bonto said they are preparing for the resumption of the non-contact visitation for relatives of the inmates.

The BJMP suspended the inmates’ visitation rights when the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020.