MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City Jail (QCJ) of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is set to move to a better and more spacious site, now that Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has allocated the funds for a two-hectare lot to replace the current jam-packed jail.

Currently situated in a 3,800 square meters property at Bernardo Park in Kamuning, the QCJ facility, originally designed to accommodate some 850 inmates, is presently clogged with 2,880 male and 530 female prisoners, one of the most densely populated detention cells in the country today.

While the anticipated construction of the modern jail facility will take time to commence, QCJ warden Supt. Joseph T. Vela, in his eight-month stint, has initiated various reforms and programs to address to the growing needs of his bloating jail population.

One of these is the activation of e-Dalaw (Internet chatting via skype) for inmates without relatives and friends visiting them due to financial and detachment hitches can now talk to their love ones using the five set of computers donated by the Office of the Solicitor General.

Through the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross, a 60-bed infirmary with isolation room and nurses station is also on-going construction, as well as the creation of the confined garbage storage bin with chimney to control the unpleasant odor in the facility.

As part of his health program, a Sputum Laboratory from the local government was also setup for an easy and immediate detection of inmate inflicted with tuberculosis virus.

A no-smoking policy is also being strictly implemented within jail premises, a move welcomed both by inmates and jail employees.

No gambling is strictly implemented for both inmates and jail employees. Erring jail personnel, particularly those sneaking in contrabands are being dealt with accordingly by the filing of appropriate charges before the regional office.