BJMP appeals for daily P100 food allowance, P30 medicine subsistence for each PDL in 2025 budget

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on Thursday asked lawmakers to support its bid to increase the proposed 2025 budget for the food and medical allowance of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

BJMP Chief Jail Director Ruel Rivera made the call during budget deliberations before the House appropriations panel.

“We have a request of P100 pesos [for meal allowance per PDL], from P70 pesos [under our proposed budget], and also from P15 for their medical allowance to P30 [per PDL],” Rivera told lawmakers.

BJMP’s proposed budget for 2025 is P29.2 billion, at least P4.66 billion of which is allocated to food.

On the other hand, the proposed 2025 budget earmarked around P999,000 for the PDLs’ medical allowance.

Under the 2025 budget, BJMP said its assumed prisoner population is 182,556.

“I hope and pray that all of you here would support us and heed the call of the BJMP to alleviate the plight of our PDLs,” Rivera urged.

OFW party-list Representative Marissa Magsino agreed with Rivera, saying current allocations for food and meal allowance for PDLs are hardly enough.

“I find this almost impossible [to be happening]. They will be just left with rice or soup in that case,” Magsino said.

“Let us help them and increase BJMP’s budget,” Magsino said to her fellow solons.—RF, GMA Integrated News