More than 100k inmates benefited from BJMP's e-dalaw in 2021

More than 100,000 inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were able to contact their loved ones through the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology's (BJMP) electronic visitation (e-Dalaw) services in 2021.

In a press statement, BMJP said from January 2021 to August 2021, a total of 103,310 PDL benefited from e-Dalaw in all 470 jails nationwide.

This is higher compared to 84,050 inmates who availed e-Dalaw from March 2020 to December 2020.

E-dalaw, BJMP's development program, was imposed after the BJMP declared lockdowns in jails and suspended contact visitation since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BJMP chief Jail Director Allan Iral said they are seeking to get more computers and secure a stable internet connection for inmates' e-Dalaw.

"We value the relationship between the PDL and their families, and we wanted to make sure that they are connected, especially in this time of the pandemic," Iral said in the same statement.

“We hope to expand the electronic visitation with additional units of computers and stable internet connection to serve better those who are incarcerated in our jail units located in far-flung provinces," he added.

In total, 187,360 detainees in BJMP jails nationwide benefited from e-Dalaw services from March 2020 to August 2021.—Consuelo Marquez/AOL, GMA News