1 
Republic of the Philippines  
House of Representatives     
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
 
 
 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
__________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Congressman Jorge “PATROL” Bustos 
__________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to mandate the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology 
(BJMP) to exercise supervision and control over provincial jails. 
For the past three Congresses, bills have been filed to transfer the supervision 
and control of provincial jails to BJMP.  The filing of these bills during the Fifteenth, 
Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses shows that the proponents have seen the 
necessity and importance of such transfer. 
The proponents have the same vision of establishing a national standard in the 
operational management of all jails in the Philippines. By establishing a national 
standard, there will be uniformity and greater efficiency in the implementation of 
the plans and programs geared towards the effective rehabilitation of inmates.  
At present, the sound policies and programs of the BJMP are not being 
implemented in the provincial jails simply because provincial jails are under the 
supervision and control of the provincial governments and not of the BJMP.  It may 
be true that provincial governments may simply follow the policies and programs of 
August 25, 2022
3:23 pm
4111


 
2 
 
the BJMP.  However, it is also true that the policies and programs are better 
implemented by professionals.  With the passage of Republic Act No. 
9263,otherwise known as the “Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail 
Management and Penology Professionalization Act of 2004,”there is no question as 
to the professionalism of jail personnel. 
 
 
Public safety and institutional correction through jail supervision and 
management are best addressed by BJMP for the following reasons, among others: 
 
1. The BJMP is the only government agency mandated to direct, supervise 
and control the administration and operation of local jails; 
2. The BJMP specializes in the safekeeping, reformation and rehabilitation 
of inmates; and 
3. The BJMP personnel are professionals equipped with proper education and 
training in the administration and operation of local jails. 
 
The transfer of supervision and control of provincial jails to BJMP will ensure 
that there will be a uniform and standard policy on the administration and 
supervision of all local jails in the country.  It will also enable the provincial 
governments to devote their time and resources in addressing more pressing issues 
and problems instead of supervising provincial jails. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
CONG. JORGE “PATROL” BUSTOS 
 


3 
Republic of the Philippines  
House of Representatives     
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
__________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Congressman Jorge “PATROL” Bustos 
__________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
1 
MANDATING THE BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY 
2 
TO EXERCISE SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OVER PROVINCIAL 
3 
JAILS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
4 
5 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
6 
Congress assembled: 
7 
8 
SECTION 1.  The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology shall exercise 
9 
supervision and control over provincial jails.  The supervision and control of provincial 
10 
jails by provincial governments are hereby transferred to the Bureau of Jail 
11 
Management and Penology.  For purposes of this Act, it is understood that provincial 
12 
jails include all existing sub-provincial jails. 
13 
Each provincial jail shall be headed by a provincial jail warden with a rank of 
14 
superintendent, who must be a graduate of bachelor of laws or a holder of a master’s 
15 
degree in management, public administration, public safety, criminology, penology, 
16 
sociology, national security administration, defense studies or other related disciplines 
17 
4111


 
4 
 
from a recognized institution of learning, and must have satisfactorily passed the 
1 
necessary training or career courses for such position as may be established by the 
2 
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.  The chief of the Bureau of Jail Management 
3 
and Penology shall appoint the provincial jail warden. 
4 
SEC. 2.  Within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of 
5 
Interior and Local Government and the Secretary of Budget and Management shall 
6 
revise the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the Bureau of Jail 
7 
Management and Penology to include the necessary manpower to operate provincial 
8 
jails. 
9 
SEC. 3.  All the existing provincial jail facilities, equipment, records, rights, 
10 
liabilities and other assets of every provincial government are hereby transferred to the 
11 
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.  For this purpose, there is hereby established 
12 
a three-year transition period to commence from the date of the effectivity of this Act.   
13 
During the transition period, the provincial government shall subsidize the 
14 
subsistence allowance of inmates and the maintenance of the jail facility, including 
15 
payments of utilities and necessary repairs. 
16 
SEC. 4.  The transfer of functions, facilities, equipment, records, rights, 
17 
liabilities and other assets from the provincial governments to the Bureau of Jail 
18 
Management and Penology shall be without prejudice to the provisions of Republic 
19 
Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991,”that are not 
20 


 
5 
 
otherwise inconsistent with this Act.  Such transfer, and the creation and filling-up of 
1 
positions to man the provincial jails shall be completed within the three-year transition 
2 
period. 
3 
SEC. 5.  The incumbent personnel of provincial jails shall continue to perform 
4 
their duties and responsibilities in a holdover capacity until such time that qualified 
5 
personnel are, based on the staffing pattern, assigned and appointed.  The qualified 
6 
incumbent personnel of provincial jails may be absorbed by the Bureau of Jail 
7 
Management and Penology without loss of seniority. 
8 
Any personnel who are not absorbed by the Bureau of Jail Management and 
9 
Penology shall be given preference in the filling-up of vacancies in the provincial 
10 
government or shall be allowed to retire under existing laws, rules and regulations. 
11 
SEC. 6.  The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall 
12 
be sourced from the current appropriations of the Bureau of Jail Management and 
13 
Penology.  Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued 
14 
implementation of this Act must be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
15 
SEC. 7.  There is hereby created a special oversight committee to monitor and 
16 
expedite the implementation of this Act.  The committee shall be composed of the 
17 
Secretary of Interior and Local Government as chairperson, the Secretary of Budget 
18 
and Management as co-chairperson, and the chairperson of the Civil Service 
19 


 
6 
 
Commission, the president of the League of Provinces and the chief of the Bureau of 
1 
Jail Management and Penology, as members. 
2 
SEC. 8.  Within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of 
3 
Interior and Local Government, in coordination with the chief of the Bureau of Jail 
4 
Management and Penology and the president of the League of Provinces, shall 
5 
promulgate the rules and regulations implementing the provisions of this Act.  The 
6 
implementing rules and regulations issued pursuant to this section shall take effect 
7 
thirty (30) days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
8 
SEC. 9.  Sections 61, 62 and 63 of Republic Act No. 6975, as amended, 
9 
otherwise known as the “Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 
10 
1990;” Paragraph (3), Subsection (b), Section 7 of Republic Act No. 9263, otherwise 
11 
known as the “Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and 
12 
Penology Professionalization Act of 2004;” and pertinent provisions of Republic Act 
13 
No. 7160on the control and supervision of provincial jail; and all other laws, decrees, 
14 
orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this 
15 
Act,are hereby amended or modified accordingly. 
16 
SEC. 10.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
17 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
18 
 
19 
Approved,
20