Philippines

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CountryPhilippines
Ministry responsible
a) Department of Interior and Local Government (jails for pre-trial & short sentences); b) Department of Justice (national prisons for sentences over 3 years); c) Department of Social Welfare & Development (centres for children in conflict with the law)
Prison administration
a) Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP); b) Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Contact address
a) 144 Juco Building, Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines; b) Bureau of Corrections, NBP Reservation, Muntinlupa City 1776, Philippines.
Telephone
a) +632 927 6383; b) +632 809 8073 or 809 9775 or 850 3282.
Fax
a) +63 2 926 7756; b) +632 850 32 82.
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
a) Allan Sullano Iral; b) Gregorio Catapang Jr
a) Chief, BJMP; b) Director General, BuCor.
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
171 247
at 1.6.24 (53,397 in BuCor prisons, 117,850 in BJMP jails) (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
149
based on an estimated national population of 115.29 million at beginning of June 2024 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
65.2%
(September 2022)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
9.8%
(mid-2021)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
1.0%
(2016 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
0.3%
(31.5.2018)
Number of establishments / institutions
440
(2021 - 7 national prisons, 433 jails; another 37 jails are ‘non-operational’)
Official capacity of prison system
Circa
45 730
(31.5.2021 - 1,981 in prisons, c. 33,750 in jails)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
Circa
362.0%
(31.5.2021 - 403% in prisons, c. 348% in jails)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 79,299 102
2002 67,968 83
2004 83,501 99
2006 91,200 104
2008 94,961 105
2010 95,390 103
2012 106,323 111
2014 120,076 121
2016 170,543 167
2018 188,278 179
2021 165,583 151
2000 79,299 102
2002 67,968 83
2004 83,501 99
2006 91,200 104
2008 94,961 105
2010 95,390 103
2012 106,323 111
2014 120,076 121
2016 170,543 167
2018 188,278 179
2021 165,583 151

Pages

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                   PHILIPPINES

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2001
2005
2010
2015
2018

35,961
58,431
c. 56,325
96,402
141,422

56.9%
64.6%
c. 59.0%
69.1%
75.1%

45
68
c. 60
96
134

2022

117,954

65.2%

105

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                 PHILIPPINES

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2001
2005
2010
2015
2018

3,324
7,076
7,726
9,188
21,349

5.3%
7.8%
8.1%
6.6%
11.0%

4.2
8.3
8.3
9.1
20.3

2021

16,439

9.8%

14.9

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population total
Prison population rate