LC Jail is PH’s Best City Jail of the year

PH’s Best City Jail. J/Sr. Insp. Herminigildo Rivera receives a plaque of recognition and a unit flag from DILG Undersecretary for operations and public safety Atty. Rafael Antonio M. Santos for winning the Best City Jail of the Year award. The awarding was held during the BJMP’s 22nd Anniversary at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on September 23, 2013.

Photo courtesy of BJMP-LC

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

FOR THE first time in its history—and in the history of Laoag City—the Laoag City Jail was named the best city jail of the year in the entire Philippines.

The award was given on September 23, 2013 at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City during the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) 22^nd Anniversary and Awarding Ceremony.

Jail Chief. Insp. Hermenigildo Rivera, city jail warden, said the Laoag City Jail emerged the best out of 101 city jails.

He related that the BJMP’s PRAISE committee was impressed during the evaluation and inspection they conducted on the city jail.

The PRAISE committee, according to Rivera, was most impressed by the implementation of the Therapeutic Community Modality Program. This program is one of the BJMP programs thrust being implemented nationwide.

The Laoag City Jail was the first to be accredited in the implementation of the said program in the entire country.

This program, Rivera explained, is one of the behavioral-shaping tools that would enhance and develop the discipline of all inmates.

The program has its own disciplinary board, which consists of inmates for them to settle any problem that may arise within among them.   

With this program’s introduction, Rivera said the situation in the city jail became more orderly as the jail officers now only supervise security as inmates now have their respective groups and leaders.

Also making a good impression on the evaluators were the improvement in the security of the jail facility and the living conditions of inmates. Livelihood programs being run at the city jail also scored high points.

With the award, the city’ BJMP received a plaque of appreciation, a unit flag award and a minimal cash prize. The cash prize is intended for the BJMP personnel and the inmates as the award would not have been possible without their full cooperation.

In place of His Excellency President Benigno S. Aquino III who was supposed to be the guest of honor and speaker but was in Zamboanga at the time, DILG Undersecretary for operations and public safety Atty. Rafael Antonio M. Santos filled in for the President.

Other unit awardees were BJMPRO-I as Regional Office of the Year; Angeles City Jail-Female Dorm, Female Dormitory of the Year; Olongapo City District Jail, District Jail of the Year; GMA Municipal Jail, Municipal Jail of the Year and Dasmariñas City Jail was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

BJMP Individual Awardees were Regional Director of the Year, J/Sr. Supt Emilio C. Culang Jr.; Staff Officer of the Year, J/Sr. Supt. Emmanuel T. Sicio; Senior Officer of the Year, J/Sr. Supt. Amelia Talento;

Junior Officer of the Year, J/Sr. Insp. Zonnie Cabaron; District Warden of the Year, J/Sr. Insp. Gilbert Peremne; Municipal Warden of the Year J/Insp. Nimrod Valenia;

Male Non-Commissioned Jail Officer of the Year, SJO3 Melito Martinez; City Warden of the Year J/Chief Insp. Arnell Remigio; Female Non-Commissioned Jail Officer of the Year, SJO2  Sharon Datul; and Non-Uniformed Personnel of the Year, Mr. Arnel Cajigal.

Special Awardees are Santa Rosa City, Laguna Mayor Arlene Arcillas; Balungao, Pangasinan Mayor Philipp Peralta; San Fernando City Mayor Pablo Ortega; Agoo, La Union Mayor Sandra Eriguel; Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr.;

JO1 Vivencio Claros for Medalya ng Kagalingan; JO2 Romar Saquibal for Medalya ng Kabayanihan (Posthumous); Caraga for Center for Health Development; Department of Health Regional Office VII and the Division of Danao City for Bureau of ALS.  

This year’s theme was “Makabago at Makataong Piitan, Kaagapay sa Matuwid na Daan”.

Meanwhile, Rivera also announced that the BJMP Laoag became automatically the winner of the Regional Best City Jail of the Year. The awarding was held on September 27.