ABSTRACT
The Philippine Correctional System is considered one of the five pillars of the Criminal Justice System, which includes the police, courts, prosecution, corrections and the community. The Philippine Correctional System is composed of different agencies catering to various clients. The adult corrections system is composed of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the different provincial jails, and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). Both the BJMP and the provincial jails cater to inmates who are undergoing trial and those sentenced to three years or fewer. The BuCor caters to inmates who are convicted with a sentence of more than three years of imprisonment. The Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) caters to parolees and probationers. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) caters to the needs of juvenile offenders. Both the BJMP and the provincial jails are under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), while the BuCor and the PPA are under the Department of Justice (DoJ).
This chapter examines the prison system in the Philippines from the perspective of Randel Latoza, Jail Superintendent, Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory.
