This article originally appeared on UN News.
A reading programme for prisoners in jails in the Philippines is supporting their education as well as enabling them to shorten their sentences.
The initiative supported by the UN office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the Philippines is also expected to help ease chronic overcrowding in detention centres across the Southeast Asian country.
Dave*, who is one month into a six-month sentence, spends up to eight hours a day in the library of the Iligan City Jail.
He’s currently engrossed in a graphic novel called El Filibusterismo, an adaptation of a story by the revered Filipino intellectual and political activist José Rizal.
“I like reading, especially historical fiction,” he told UN News on a visit to the jail. “Reading is a distraction, it helps to pass the time and takes my mind off my problems. It also gives me a sense of freedom I cannot get in the jail.”
Reading does not only provide Dave with a release from the monotony of daily life inside this facility, it also will help him to get a reduced sentence.
He is a participant in the Magbasa Tungo sa Paglaya or Read Your Way Out programme, which has been supported by UNODC in the Philippines. For every 60 hours that prisoners in this jail spend reading each month, they can secure a 15-day reduction in their sentence.
“This is a big advantage for me, as I love reading. The more I read the shorter my sentence,” said Dave. Working as a library assistant, he is also what is known as a reading buddy. His role is to encourage other prisoners to read and to help them choose books from the library.
Between 10 and 20 prisoners borrow books on a daily basis and the hope is to increase that number to include other prisoners who are not generally attracted to reading.
The library is stocked with a selection of books, both fiction and nonfiction in English and Tagalog, the Filipino national language. There’s a selection of self-help and law books, which prisoners in this jail find particularly helpful as the vast majority are in pre-trial detention, awaiting their day in court. There are also religious texts, catering for both the Muslim and Christian population in the jail.
The catalogue was chosen in consultation with the National Library of the Philippines, which also provided training on running a library to corrections officers. Chad Diaz, the head of the training section, said: “It is a perfect idea. Our mission at the National Library is to reach all people, especially marginalized groups. It is also an excellent way to build the capacity of our brothers and sisters who have been deprived of their liberty.”
The pilot project at Iligan City Jail was launched in April 2024 and is already making a difference, according to Jail Officer Reiaine Sulit. “It was overwhelming when we received so many books. The prisoners were so happy,” she said. “I think reading brings a sense of calm to the jail.”
A prisoner enjoying a book.
A book in the library of the Iligan City jail.
The jail, like many detention centres in the Philippines, is severely overcrowded. There are some 550 prisoners currently accommodated in a facility designed for just 270 people.
UNODC's Rafael Baretto Souza, a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, said the programme could help to reduce overcrowding in jails across the Philippines. “The main objective is the decongestion of facilities, but it has the added benefit of increasing literacy rates and educational levels, as well as helping the reintegration of prisoners back into society following their incarceration.”
Decongesting prisons has become a key priority for the Philippines government following a shift in policy towards a more humane approach to treating prisoners. Easing the overcrowding improves the conditions for prisoners and reduces the drain on services like healthcare.
The concept of reduced sentences based on reading is common in some Latin Americaand European countries, but “this incentive system for reducing sentences is the first in Asia,” said Rafael Baretto Souza. “It’s innovative and progressive and other countries in the region have expressed interest in the idea.”
Back at Iligan City Jail, the reading continues. One prisoner was studying a law book entitled Evidence Explained in preparation for a meeting with his lawyer the following day. Another was discussing a self-help book with his reading buddy entitled Don’t Worry, whilst a third man was keen to read the novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, after watching the movie of the same name before he entered jail.
The tastes and preoccupations of the men may be different, but all will benefit from reduced sentences as a result of their engagement in the reading programme.
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* not his real name
The way we treat prisoners is key in making our communities safer and protecting human rights for all. UNODC works with over 50 Member States worldwide to advance non-custodial measures, improve prison management and conditions, and support social reintegration. Find out more.
