The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday reported that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) procured P46.1 million worth of fresh, high-quality, and locally produced agricultural products to ensure healthier meals for prisoners or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
The setup was made possible through the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP), a convergence program of the BJMP and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) that aims to mitigate hunger, ensure food and nutrition security, and reduce poverty in both urban and rural communities.
The program aligns with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to uphold the human rights of PDLs by improving their living conditions through measures such as jail decongestion and the provision of adequate and nutritious food.
By directly coordinating with DAR, the BJMP has effectively bypassed traditional middlemen and corporate suppliers by sourcing from agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) or farmer groups.
