COMMUNITY BAIL BOND UPDATE 01-28 MARCH 2025
- Derek Santos
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
What has been done:
March was a hectic month with our organization starting new initiatives with partner groups aimed at helping released Persons Deprived of Liberty in their path towards reintegration.
Our Community Bail Bond Program continued to reach more PDL who deserve to be released from detention. Our Program Field Officers continued with their regular activities that included conducting weekly monitoring/home visits of successfully released participants, providing guidance and updating the steps they are taking towards becoming productive members of their communities.
Fifteen of our CBB Participants had scheduled hearings for the period covered. Four hearings pushed through while the other eleven were postponed/reset for various reasons.
For this period, we were able to successfully release two CBB Participants from detention. Both were released through bail. They join the 207 other CBB Participants that have been released, all of whom we are assisting towards community reintegration.
We partnered with ArkadisPH in implementing the Local Sparks Challenge project with the Manila Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) as beneficiary. The project shall conduct several activities for parolees enrolled under the PPA's LEAP Program. The launching activity was held last March 5 with our Chief Consultant, Dr. Raymund E. Narag one of the guest speakers.
Several of our CBB and BANDILA Clients became special guests and beneficiaries during the March for Life 2025 activity of the Knights of Columbus Luzon North Council held last March 15 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.
Two of our CBB field officers were elected as officers of the MCJ-MD Service Providers during the month meeting held last March 3.
Our Executive Director attended the virtual Accredited Service Providers Kumustahan session last March 20.
We held several virtual meetings with two of our partners to discuss various initiatives. Last March 21 we met with IDEALS to assist in the finalization of their position paper on jail decongestion. We then met with St. Louis University School of Law last March 31 for the possible expansion of the CBB Program in Baguio City.
Last March 25, we paid a courtesy all with Warden Morfon of BJMP Calamba Satellite Treatment Center. Mr. RJ Limpo, PRESO Board Member accompanied our CBB Team and donated an image of Mother Mary.
Dr. Jean Rafanan and Bro. Emman Soabas of the Commission on Biblical Apostolate continued with their weekly virtual values formation sessions at selected BJMP Jails. Dr. Rafanan likewise donated one TV set to Navotas CJ-MD.
We joined the CBCP-ECPPC in the Opening of Prisons Doors at the Bureau of Corrections last March 25. This continues the series of jail visitations as part of the "Pilgrims of Hope" Jubilee 2025.
Last March 29 we took part in the CBCP-ECPPC's 50th Anniversary celebration. Three PRESO Staff and two PRESO volunteers were given recognition for the many years of service in prison ministry.
A highlight of the celebration was the launching of the Commemorative Book entitled "Endless Grace" written by Madelyn Solito and edited by Tessie Gomez.
Our Chief Consultant, Dr. Raymund Narag, returned to the country for several engagements with PPA, UNODC, BuCor and BJMP. He joined our CBB team for a much-needed break from his activities.
As of March 28, there have been 519 individuals referred to our program coming from 24 city jail facilities, 2 provincial jail facilities, 17 police stations, 3 youth centers, 3 correctional facilities, and 3 national agencies. Of this number 266 had been interviewed. Of the interviewed, 152 had been successfully bailed out while another 55 had been released through other legal means.
More significantly, we have a total of 70 CBB Participants who have successfully graduated from the CBB Program. We consider participants as having successfully graduated from the Program after their cases have been closed, and at least another six months of monitoring have elapsed. Throughout this period, they must have shown to be responsible members of their community and can lead productive lives.
With their release, the government has now saved ₱ 4,960,780.00. This is computed by adding the amount budgeted per day (PhP70 for food) per PDL multiplied by the number of days since the day of the release from jail of every individual Participant. These savings will increase as days go by and as long as their cases are not terminated. For those whose cases are dismissed, served early or whose probation was approved, we expect a savings of least 60 days of non-incarceration.
Additionally, on top of the food savings by the government, these individuals are now back to the community and actively engaged in their livelihood- hence contributing to the economy. We minimized their exposure to the criminogenic jail environment leading to better reentry to the society as responsible members.
As we forge ahead with our Community Bail Bond Program, we continue to learn and re-learn approaches and procedures. And this is a welcome experience for us. We envision that more PDLs and CICLs would be assisted soon with their liberties restored, their dignity regained and that their lives are eventually rebuilt. We as a community have a significant role in all these. In the long run, support for our prisons and prisoners as a whole would benefit all of society in terms of lower rates of recidivism and increased sense of public safety. GOD IS ON OUR SIDE!
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