The Marawi City Prison was opened on the island of Mindanao in May 2024. Philippines reforms prison system under Nelson Mandela Rules Human Rights
Philippine prison conditions should improve significantly after the Philippines adopts policies that emphasize human rights and the dignity of prisoners.
The Nelson Mandela Rules, named after the former South African president who was unjustly imprisoned for 27 years, play a key role in prison and prison reform in the Philippines. Our publication today is dedicated to Mandela Day, which is celebrated on July 18th. The Nelson Mandela Rules are to ensure that all prisoners are treated with respect and dignity and that there is no discrimination. The environment in which prisoners are held is central to the Rules.
The Philippines ranks alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Uganda for prison overcrowding, with inmates living in extremely cramped quarters. The Manila City Jail, designed to hold 1,200 inmates, houses about 3,200 men “sleeping like sardines,” according to Associate Justice Maria Philomena Singh of the Philippines’ Supreme Court. She called the situation “inhumane.”
The prison, which mainly houses pretrial detainees, was built in 1867. Temperatures in the overcrowded cells can reach 40 degrees Celsius, which is not in compliance with the Rules, which require “special attention to climatic conditions, air, minimum floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation.”
Prisons in the Philippines are among the most overcrowded in the world.
Health
Some progress in sanitation and health is being observed in many prisons in the Philippines. Nelson Mandela’s Rules state that “prisoners shall enjoy the same standards of health care as in the community and shall have access to necessary health services free of charge without discrimination on the basis of their legal status.”
Safety and Dignity
Other key elements of the Nelson Mandela Rules are the maintenance of a safe environment for both prisoners and prison staff, and the implementation of disciplinary measures that respect human dignity and do not tolerate torture or other forms of inhumane treatment.
The Philippines’ newest prison in Marawi City in Mindanao was built according to the Rules and opened in May 2024. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) provided technical support to the Philippine Bureau of Prisons to develop the facility’s infrastructure, build a library, and train staff.
Education
Prison authorities are committed to the future social reintegration of prisoners by providing them with education and vocational training. Faculty from Mindanao State University teach classes, and law students assist inmates with their cases, speeding up the trial process. The facility’s newly created court, which held its first hearing at the end of June, is also helping to speed up the processing of cases.
It is expected that faster processing of cases will help avoid overcrowding in the prison. “We hope that the influx of prisoners will be at least equal to the number of those leaving prison,” said Renato Reynaldo Roales, UNODC national program officer.
The Philippines continues to reform its judicial and prison systems, and the Marawi City Jail is expected to become a model for detention facilities in the Philippines.
Prison authorities are targeting the future social reintegration of prisoners by providing them with education and vocational training. Faculty from Mindanao State University teach classes, and law students assist inmates with their cases, speeding up the trial process. The facility’s newly created court, which held its first hearing at the end of June, is also helping to speed up the processing of cases.
It is expected that faster processing of cases will help avoid overcrowding in the prison. “We hope that the influx of prisoners will be at least equal to the number of those leaving prison,” said Renato Reynaldo Roales, UNODC national program officer.
The Philippines continues to reform the judiciary and prison system, and the Marawi City Jail is expected to become a model for detention centers in the Philippines. prisoners, both awaiting trial and those already convicted, in accordance with the principle that “the only thing a prisoner should be deprived of is his or her freedom.”