Manila City Jail (Manila)

Philippines / National Capital Region / Manila / Claro M. Recto Avenue (N145/C-1)
The Manila City Jail (MCJ) has been ravaged by time. It is under-staffed, overcrowded, and its facilities in disrepair. Originally built by the Spaniards in the 19th Century, “Bilibid”, as it is commonly known, was home to prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation of Manila in World War II. Today it houses over 3,700 inmates - a 4x overcapacity rate - on 2 hectares, making the MCJ undoubtedly one of the most over-congested jail facilities in the country. It is oftentimes referred to as Old Bilibid Prison. The New Bilibid Prison is now locted in Muntinlupa.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   14°36'18"N   120°59'1"E

Comments

  • Even though it is true, the description of the place is still too biased.
  • its good if the goverment sell this place to the developers
  • the city govt should relocate the city jail in pandacan after they had removed the oil depots there... then convert the bilibid area into a park/commercial center... because the jail does not fit the surroundings anymore...the recto area is now a commercial, educational and transportation hub in the heart of the city... meanwhile the pandacan oil depot is less crowded and at least 10 x the lot area of the bilibid area..,.. they should just erect a memorial in the center to commemorate those who died there during the Japanese occupation....
  • anyway its a big eyesore together with the squatters area in the center of northern manila
  • I hope that there will be communication between inmates and their family, through skype. Skype is a free media service. I know and believe that there will be positive changes in inmates' view of the outside world. I know they should be paying for whatever they may have done, but I know too that giving them the chance to communicate with their loved ones will make their stay inside the jail a little bit bearable. Most of them are not from Manila, most of them are from outside of Manila and were just in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people before they got imprisoned. I hope the inmates will be treated humanely through the food that is served to them, I am not saying steak with wine, but food for human consumption for example: boiled orange camote or banana, beans with sayote. Cheap but healthy human food.
  • Government doesn't have the budget to build new facilities nor upgrade the standards they have now. Its a pathetic situation and one should be careful not to be inside one of them...
  • sad sad saddddddd.. justice only for the rich and famous.
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This article was last modified 5 years ago