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Republic of the Philippines RECEIVED
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Batasan Hills, Quezon City

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NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. __2350__

Introduced by

HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and
HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6975 INTEGRATING ALL THE PROVINCIAL
AND SUB-PROVINCIAL JAILS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE BUREAU OF
JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Under our existing law, Republic Act No. 6975, otherwise known as the
“Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990,” local jails are under
the jurisdiction of two (2) different authorities — city, municipal, and district jails are
under the BJMP while provincial and sub-provincial jails are under its respective
provincial governments. With this arrangement, no standardized or uniform policy
regarding the administration and supervision of all local jails can be established, thus
creating a disparity among the local jails.

This bill seeks to integrate all the provincial and sub-provincial jails within the
jurisdiction of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BUMP) to establish a
national standard in the operation management of all local jails in the country. With
this bill, such transfer of management will enable the BUMP to establish, administer,
and supervise uniform standards, policies, and guidelines for all the local jails and will
also advance the welfare of inmates and detainees.

DATE _July 26, 2022

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In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Rep. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
Representative, Tingog Sinirangan

Rep. JUDE/A. ACIDRE
Representative, Tingog Sinirangan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__2350

Introduced by

HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and
HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6975 INTEGRATING ALL THE
PROVINCIAL AND SUB-PROVINCIAL JAILS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION
OF THE BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Section 61 of Republic Act No. 6975, otherwise known as the
Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, is hereby
amended to read as follows:

Sec. 61. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS. - The Jail Bureau shall exercise

supervision and control over all PROVINCIAL, SUB-PROVINCIAL, city

and municipal jails.

Section 2. Section 62 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as
follows:

Sec. 62. ORGANIZATION. -
XXX
The Jail Bureau shall be composed of PROVINCIAL, SUB-
PROVINCIAL, city or municipal jails, each headed by a PROVINCIAL,
SUB-PROVINCIAL, city or municipal jail warden: Provided, That, in the


case of large cities and municipalities, a district jail warden may be
established as necessary.
XXX

Section 3. Section 63 of the same act is hereby amended to read as
follows:

Sec. 63. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROVINCIAL, SUB-PROVINCIAL,
DISTRICT, CITY OR MUNICIPAL JAIL. - There shall be established and
maintained in every PROVINCE, district, city and municipality a secured,
clean adequately equipped and sanitary jail for the custody and
safekeeping of PROVINCIAL, city and municipal prisoners, any fugitive
from justice, or person detained awaiting investigation or trial and/or
transfer to the national penitentiary, and/or violent mentally-ill person
who endangers himself or the safety of others, duly certified as such by
the proper medical or health officer, pending the transfer to a medical
Institution.

Section 4. Aole of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
(BJMP). The management, supervision and control or provincial and
sub-provincial jails, including all its property, equipment, and finances, are
hereby transferred to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BUMP).

Provided, however, that the three (3) year transition period is hereby
established, to commence from the date of effectivity of this Act. During the
transition period, the Provincial Government shall subsidize the subsistence
allowance of inmates and the maintenance of the jail facility, including, but not
limited to electric and water expenses and necessary repairs.

The transfer, and/or absorption of the functions, appropriations, funds,
records, equipment, facilities, chooses in action, rights, and other assets of
Provincial and Sub- Provincial Jails to/oy the BUMP shall be without prejudice
to the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local
Government Code of 1991, as amended, that are not otherwise inconsistent
with this Act.


All personnel of provincial and sub-provincial jails, unless removed for
cause, may be absorbed by the BUMP, provided, that such guidelines must be
consistent with the provisions of Republic Act No. 9263, otherwise known as
the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
Professionalization Act of 2004, as amended, and its Implementing Rules and
Regulations.

The Chief of the BUMP shall, within six (6) months from the effectivity of
this Act, recommend the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the
assumed provincial and sub-provincial jails.

Section 5. The local government of the province shall be a partner of
the BJMP in the rehabilitation of the inmates in the provincial jails. For this
purpose, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of each province shall provide for the
maintenance and improvement of jails and detention centers and shall
appropriate funds to supplement subsistence of detainees and convicted
prisoners in the province.

Section 6. The Provincial and Sub-Provincial Jail Warden shall have the
rank of Superintendent; Provided that if the jail population is one thousand
(1,000) or more inmates, the Warden shall be a graduate of Bachelor of Laws
or a holder of a master's degree in management, public administration, public
safety, criminology, penology, sociology, national security administration,
defense studies or other related discipline from a recognized institution of
learning, and must satisfactorily pass the necessary training and career
courses for such position as may be established by law.

Section 7. Special Oversight Committee. A Special Oversight
Committee, composed of the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
as Chairman, the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management as
Co-Chairman, and the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, President of
the League of Provinces, and the Chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology, as members, is hereby created to oversee the expeditious transfer


and absorption into the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology of all
personnel, property, appropriations and installations of the provincial and sub-
provincial jails.

Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within ninety (90)
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Oversight Committee shall promulgate
the rules and regulations necessary to ensure the effective implementation of
this Act.

Section 9. Separability Clause. \f any provision, or part hereof, is held
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not
otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

Section 10. Repealing Clause. Any \aw, presidential decree or
issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or
regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby
repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

Section 11. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,