By Chito Chavez The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said on Monday that its personnel will donate 1.5 percent of their base pay amounting to P7.23 million to the national government’s “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act’’ fund. Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (MANILA BULLETIN) In a press briefing, BJMP spokesperson and chief inspector Xavier Solda said the amount will assist the government’s efforts to deal with its needs in providing food and non-food assistance, which targets mainly the “poorest among the poor,’’ the sector most severely affected by the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. He noted that the BJMP personnel has willingly provided similar assistance to the victims of disasters that had struck the country in the past. With regards to the BJMP-manned jail facilities, Solda noted a “zero percent’’ COVID-19 case in its 468 jails in the country. As a precautionary measure, Solda said that BJMP jail director Allan Iral had immediately ordered a “lockdown of all BJMP jails’’ at the start when COVID-19 has reached Philippine shores. Explaining further, Solda said the lockdown strictly prohibits any personal or “contact visitation for its PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty).’’ The principle behind the implementation of the no contact visitation for PDLs, according to Solda, is a preventive measure to avoid BJMP inmates and personnel from contacting COVID-19. Solda noted, however, that the PDLs were accorded with the “Electronic Dalaw (visits)’’ privilege in lieu of the conventional contact visitation, which allowed them to be in touch with their loved ones even in these trying times. Also, Solda added that the PDLs were allowed access to media reports to make them realize the dangers posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. With this information, Solda said that the PDLs are now aware what steps to take to avoid being afflicted with the various. Even inside their cells, Iral had ordered that social distancing be practiced in support of the government’s call to stop the spread of COVID-19. Solda said that BJMP National COVID-19 Task Force is very active as it provides guidance to its regional and local counterparts. The BJMP spokesperson said that the strict implementation of precautionary measures to combat COVID-19 like the use of face masks, thermal scanning, and daily disinfection of the jail cells and BJMP premises are being enforced daily. On the psychological aspect, Iral also has ordered regular dialogues with the personnel and the PDLs to check on their moral and mental state amid the COVID-19 scare.