Anti-flood works delay PDL transfer in Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue City Jail has delayed the transfer of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to its new female dormitory in Sitio Dungguan, Barangay Basak, as embankment work is still underway to address flooding risks during heavy rains and hightide.

However, Mandaue City Jail Warden, Js/Ins. Shela Serrano, said that by the third quarter of next year, female PDLs can be transferred to the new facility once the embankment and the construction of the administration building are completed.

Serrano said they have requested the Mandaue City Government to construct an embankment because the land in the area is low-lying and it is not safe to transfer the PDLs, as the water level rises significantly during heavy rains.

The Mandaue City Government and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) entered into a usufruct agreement to establish the new female dormitory. Under the agreement, the local government unit (LGU) provided the land, while the BJMP is responsible for constructing the facility for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

She added that before the city started the embankment project, the water level at the facility would rise significantly during heavy rains.

 So pagka high tide, tumaas ang tubig lalo na pagnasabayan ng ulan kaya hindi po kami makalipat since for the risk and security reasons,  Serrano told reporters yesterday, December 6.

She added that if they had forced the transfer before the embankment was completed, it would have posed significant health risks to both the PDLs and the city jail personnel.

 Stagnant din po kasi ang tubig at kapag marami ang population prone rin po sa sakit, madaling mag spread, so hindi siya ideal na malipatan nung time na yun,  said Serrano.

The embankment work, funded by the city government, has a budget of P18 million and is expected to be completed by next year.

Meanwhile, Serrano said the construction of an Administration Building for the city jail is also one of the reasons for the delay. However, she emphasized the importance of having a separate office for the administrative staff to ensure that the entire new dormitory can be utilized exclusively for the PDLs.

 Kasi, if ever lilipat po kami na wala pong admin building, magagamit po naming ang ibang selda as admin so mababawasan po ang maggagamit ng PDL,  said Serrano.

She said the soon-to-rise administration building is a project funded by the office of Congresswoman Emmarie  Lolypop  Ouano-Dizon.

The three-story building, valued at P35 million, is expected to be completed next year, according to their meeting with the contractor.

 So, baka next year doon makalipat na kami sa new facility,  said Serrano.

The new female dormitory, consisting of four cells, was completed in 2017 and has an ideal capacity of 41 female PDLs, according to the warden.

Currently, there are 105 female PDLs in the city, who are presently housed in Barangay Looc.

Serrano said that transferring them to the new facility would greatly help, as it would reduce the city jail s congestion rate to 156%.

As of now, the city jail has a 377% congestion rate, as the current facility has a capacity of only 22 PDLs.