The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has procured PHP46.1 million worth of fresh, locally grown produce to improve meals for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the initiative ensures more consistent nutrition for PDLs, supports farmers as agri-entrepreneurs, and channels government spending back into local communities.

In a statement Thursday, the DILG said the program is implemented through the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty, a joint effort of the BJMP and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to address hunger and poverty while ensuring food security for some 167,000 PDLs nationwide.

“By coordinating directly with agrarian reform beneficiary organizations, the BJMP has cut out middlemen, securing fresher, higher-quality food at lower cost while providing farmers with a stable market,” the DILG said.

In 2025, Calabarzon posted the highest deliveries at over PHP12 million, followed by Central Luzon with PHP9.9 million and Zamboanga Peninsula with PHP4.2 million.

The DILG said it aims to institutionalize the program by linking all jail facilities to local farmer groups and strengthening the BJMP’s role as a reliable institutional market.

The BJMP is a line bureau under the DILG. (PNA)