TO address congestion in the Cebu City Jail, a four-storey building will be constructed inside the compound of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
In a news briefing yesterday morning, Councilor Dave Tumulak, who heads the committee on public order and safety, said the bidding process for the project will start next month.
He said the national government allocated funds for the project.
The new jail facility will cost P101 million.
Tumulak said the city government fully supports the project especially in processing the needed paperworks and permits.
Tumulak said the Cebu City jail is designed for just 1,600 inmates. As of now, there are more than 4,000 inmates staying inside the jail.
Earlier, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the city government could fund the construction of a new city jail if the city could generate tax revenues.
He also planned to convert the Inayawan Sanitary landfill into a jail facility.
However, Tumulak said Osmeña’s plan will take longer and will cost the city a lot of money.
“We still have to stabilize the area. Inside the compound of (BJMP) we have seen a possible site so we will put it there,” he said.
Tumulak said the city government is also planning to request the Philippine National Police (PNP) to augment security in the jail. He said there are only 75 personnel manning the facility.