MANILA, Philippines—Prisoners who join literacy, skills and values development programs will get good conduct time credit equivalent to a maximum of 15 days for every month of study time, under a proposed bill at the House of Representatives.

House Bill No. 4925 is a consolidation of proposed laws by Representatives Raul Gonzalez Jr., Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Rufus Rodriguez.

Gonzalez said encouraging prisoners to enrich their minds or acquire new skills would help them become productive citizens, making it easier for them to reintegrate into society.

“The granting of good conduct time allowance will result in the reduction of their incarceration period. This translates into a decrease in the overall cost of correction through jail decongestion,” he said in a statement.

Locsin said the bill would serve as an incentive for prisoners to reform themselves by showing they could behave humanely while in prison.

The proposed law would apply to those who have earned or who are moving towards getting a post-graduate or college degree, a high school or elementary school diploma, a vocational or teaching skill or a values development certificate.

Inmates who are teaching subjects or courses would also be granted time credits, according to the bill.

The proposal would apply to those serving their sentences by virtue of final judgment as well as those in detention centers undergoing trial or whose sentences are under appeal.

The Department of Education, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and other recognized institutions and organizations would be tasked to administer the programs.