• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
An ordinance establishing a primary healthcare center within the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) jail facilities to serve persons deprived of liberty (PDL), was recently approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Authored by Councilor Em Ang, the ordinance said the BJMP is mandated to provide humane treatment and care to PDLs, including access to medical services.
The BJMP has the necessary manpower – physicians, nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists, x-ray technicians, and other allied health professionals, to provide healthcare services to PDLs, however, funding for medicines and equipment remains insufficient, it said.
Establishing a primary healthcare center within BJMP jail facilities will significantly improve the health and well-being of PDLs, reduce the risk of disease transmission, and promote rehabilitation, the ordinance said.
The initiative aligns with the city’s commitment to public health and social justice, it said.
The ordinance aims to ensure uninterrupted basic healthcare for PDLs in the three BJMP-managed jails in Bacolod City by establishing locally-funded jail clinics equipped with necessary medicines and equipment for PDL use.
Upon enactment of the ordinance, a technical working group (TWG) will be established comprising the City Administrator representing the Office of the City Mayor, City Health Officer, chairman of the SP Committee on Appropriation, City Treasurer, Public Order and Safety Office head, City Engineer, City Budget Officer, and warden of three BJMP Bacolod District Jails as ex-officio members.
The city government of Bacolod will allocate funds from the City Health Office and other local funds to implement the ordinance. Additional funding may be appropriated from the Annual or Supplemental Budget, subject to applicable legal and financial procedures.*
