The Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) is seeking a ₱96.3-million budget for 2027, a 23-percent increase from its current ₱78-million allocation, as the provincial jail looks to improve inmate welfare, strengthen security, repair ageing facilities and address a shortage of personnel.
The proposed budget was presented by CPDRC Warden Retired Col. Dr. Felipe Montejo during the Cebu Provincial Board’s budget deliberations on November 4, 2026. The request forms part of the Cebu Provincial Government’s proposed ₱14.6-billion spending plan for 2027.
The amount is ₱96.3 million, not ₱963 million, as some versions of the headline may suggest. The proposal is still subject to review and approval by the Provincial Board. MYTV+2
Food Allowance Could Increase From ₱67 to ₱88 Per Day
One of the largest components of the proposed CPDRC budget is food for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
The facility is requesting ₱44.5 million for food expenses in 2027, up from ₱37 million this year. The increase would support a proposed adjustment in the daily meal allowance from ₱67 to ₱88 per inmate.
The proposed increase is intended to help the facility meet the daily food requirements of its population, which currently stands at more than 1,000 PDLs.
The jail is also seeking ₱5 million for medicines and medical supplies, reflecting the continuing need to provide healthcare to people in custody. MYTV+2
CPDRC Wants More Than 100 Additional Guards
Staffing is another major concern raised during the budget presentation.
Montejo said the facility currently has only 60 personnel, which he considers insufficient to supervise more than 1,000 PDLs. He cited a standard staffing ratio of one prison guard for every 10 inmates and said the jail needs more than 100 additional guards to strengthen supervision and security.
The proposed request includes the creation or filling of additional positions. Montejo said CPDRC has several vacancies, including 13 Prison Guard 1 positions, but filling existing vacancies alone would not address the facility’s staffing requirements.
The warden also said the provincial jail prefers to recruit criminology graduates because their academic background is relevant to correctional work.
The request highlights a challenge that extends beyond simply increasing the number of guards: personnel must also receive appropriate training to manage PDLs, maintain order and respond properly to incidents inside detention facilities. MYTV+1
₱2 Million Sought for Firearms and Security Equipment
CPDRC is proposing to increase its capital outlay from ₱120,000 this year to ₱2 million in 2027.
Montejo said the facility needs new firearms and equipment because some of its existing weapons are already old or damaged. He also pointed out that adding personnel without providing adequate equipment could leave guards unable to perform their duties effectively.
The proposed allocation is therefore intended to support security operations as the jail seeks to expand its workforce.
However, the request will still have to undergo the provincial government’s budget review and approval process before the funds can be released. MYTV+1
Damaged Roofs, Worn-Out Beds and Sanitation Problems Also Need Attention
The budget request also covers repairs and basic facility maintenance.
During the deliberations, Provincial Board Member Raymond Joseph Calderon questioned CPDRC’s proposed ₱1.8-million allocation for other supplies and materials, noting that the jail had spent less than ₱300,000 from its ₱800,000 allocation for the same item during the first half of 2026.
Montejo explained that the proposed funds would help repair sections of the jail’s roof, where some areas reportedly have holes. The facility also needs to replace damaged plywood boards used as beds by inmates.
Sanitation is another concern. Montejo said the jail’s septic tank fills up quickly because of the number of people using the facility, requiring weekly cleaning.
CPDRC is also requesting ₱240,000 for personnel training, as many provincial guards have yet to receive sufficient instruction in handling PDLs.
These requests illustrate that the proposed increase is not limited to food and staffing. It also covers maintenance, sanitation, equipment and the basic conditions needed to operate a detention facility safely. MYTV+1
More Than 1,000 PDLs Are Being Held at the Provincial Jail
CPDRC currently houses slightly more than 1,000 PDLs, while its stated capacity is approximately 1,500.
According to the budget presentation, most of the cases involving its detainees are related to illegal drugs, followed by rape and murder cases.
The facility’s population is below its stated overall capacity, but that does not mean the wider jail system in Cebu or Central Visayas is free from overcrowding.
A recent Commission on Audit report highlighted the scale of the problem across the country. In 2025, 341 of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s 488 jail facilities were classified as critically congested. The report recorded 113,937 PDLs across those facilities, with Central Visayas among the regions facing serious capacity pressures.
The audit also identified Consolacion Municipal Jail in Cebu as the country’s most congested facility, with a reported congestion rate of 2,000 percent.
It is important to distinguish between CPDRC, which is managed by the Cebu Provincial Government, and BJMP-run facilities. The figures for regional and national jail congestion do not mean CPDRC itself has the same occupancy problem. Daily Tribune+2
CPDRC Budget Request Comes Amid Wider Calls for Prison Reform
The proposed increase also comes as Philippine authorities continue to confront long-standing problems involving jail congestion, delayed court proceedings and access to rehabilitation services.
In April 2026, SunStar reported on the experience of a CPDRC detainee who had spent nearly two decades in detention while waiting for his case to move through the justice system. The report described how postponed hearings and procedural delays can leave people in prolonged detention, including those who have not yet been convicted.
The Supreme Court has also been pursuing broader measures to reduce jail congestion and address delays in the criminal justice system. These include stronger coordination among justice-sector agencies and measures intended to improve case monitoring and access to legal assistance.
WWC ONE MEDIA has previously examined related issues in its report on Supreme Court reforms aimed at reducing court delays and expanding access to justice.
The issue also connects to wider concerns over detention conditions and accountability, including the debate surrounding the transfer and medical assessment of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
At the national level, the proposed 2027 budget of the Bureau of Corrections is ₱11.9 billion, intended to support personnel, prison infrastructure, security and the transfer of PDLs to other correctional facilities. That proposal is separate from CPDRC’s provincial budget request, but both reflect the financial demands of maintaining the country’s correctional system. SunStar Publishing Inc.+2
For further context on the competing demands in the national spending plan, WWC ONE MEDIA has also covered concerns raised over proposed cuts to Philippine social services in the 2027 budget.
CPDRC’s ₱96.3-Million Proposal Still Needs Provincial Board Approval
The CPDRC request is part of Cebu Province’s proposed ₱14.6-billion budget for 2027, which is approximately 22.7 percent higher than the province’s ₱11.9-billion allocation for 2026.
The wider spending proposal gives the largest share to healthcare, with ₱5.865 billion earmarked for hospital improvements, medical equipment, medicines, personnel and public health services. Other priorities include agriculture, water supply, infrastructure and disaster preparedness.
The Provincial Board began deliberating on the proposed budget in November. The CPDRC allocation will have to pass through the legislative review process before it can become part of the province’s approved spending program.
The final decision will determine whether the jail receives the additional funding it says is necessary to improve meals, recruit and train guards, replace ageing equipment and address maintenance problems.
For now, the proposed ₱96.3 million represents a request—not yet an approved allocation. The larger question is whether the additional funding will translate into measurable improvements in the safety, welfare and rehabilitation of people held at the provincial facility. SunStar Publishing Inc.+2
