AN official from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology - Davao Region (BJMP-Davao) said they are looking for donations and investors for the Davao City Jail library which can be of great use to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) there.
Jail Senior Inspector Ellen Rose Saragena, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology - Community Relations Section chief said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw, Monday, March 20, they are looking for donations and investors to add books and reading materials to the newly-opened library located at the Davao City jail annex.
“We’re looking for investors (of our library), kasi po sa BJMP, ang budget po namin na naa sa’min lang is pang-food lang talaga (Because our budget mainly goes to food),” Saragena said.
“So we are finding ways and means para mabigyan sila (to allocate more for our PDLs) for our other projects po [like City Jail Libraries],” she added.
Saragena said the possible donations will be screened to prevent suggestive ideals to enter the jail such as sexually suggestive and leftism-leaning reading materials. Saragena also said encyclopedias can be useful for PDLs in the city jail.
“We really try our best to give them (PDLs) a wide array of options (to learn),” Saragena said.
“It is also our goal din, it’s part of our mandate in developing PDLs, that wala mi pagawson na PDL na (No PDL will go out) uneducated,” Saragena added.
Saragena said that they are targeting to put up 10 libraries within the jails in the city by the end of the year.
“It will help them to continue learning... also it is also an avenue para po ma-maintain na din namin, macontrol ang mga learning materials sa loob ng jail, ano ba ang kailangan nila malaman,” Saragena said.
The Social Entrepreneurship Technology and Business Institute (SETBI) College, the backbone of the "College Education Behind Bars" project, funded the construction of the library.
Meanwhile, City Jail Annex jail officer Harvey Bryan Malnegro said currently, there are eight PDLs from the City Jail facility are enrolled in the SETBI program, and 80 PDLs for ALS. ICE with reports from CIO