Wanted: 1,000 jail guards to enjoy ‘decent jobs’

The country’s army of prison guards is recruiting 1,000 new members amid a growing jail population because of the war on drugs.

The recruitment would be brought online, according to Deogracias Tapayan, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) chief.

Tapayan said the #ILoveBJMP campaign would be launched online today to raise public awareness about 1,000 vacancies for jail officer 1 positions.

“The BJMP is offering an opportunity to young professionals who wish to pursue a career in government service, particularly in the jail management profession,” Tapayan said in a statement.

“We have 1,000 vacant positions now and we are inviting them to submit applications the soonest time possible,” the statement said.

‘Unique opportunity’

“Aside from pursuing their passions, the bureau also offers a unique opportunity where they can help people behind bars become better persons while enjoying a decent job,” he added.

Tapayan said those who had entry positions in the BJMP earned from P23,204 a month, including hazard pay, subsistence allowance, rice allowance, and clothing and laundry allowance.

Applicants must have a college degree, civil service eligibility and between 21-30 years old. They must be at least 1.62 meters tall for men and 1.57 meters tall for women.

Jail Senior Insp. Xavier Solda, BJMP spokesperson, urged netizens to support the campaign by following the BJMP official Facebook fan page and Twitter account, or visiting the BJMP website (www.bjmp.gov.
ph) for more information.

As of July 31, the BJMP was holding 145,678 inmates in 466 jails or a congestion rate of “597 percent nationwide,” Solda said. “Of this number, 100,504 are drug-related cases,” he said. —PHILIP C. TUBEZA