The initiative is supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the Philippines is also expected to help ease persistent overcrowding at detention centers across the Southeast Asian nation.
Dave*, who has served one month of his six-month sentence, has to spend up to eight hours a day in the Iligan City Jail library.
He is currently engrossed in a graphic novel called PiracyAn adaptation of the story of revered Filipino political activist and intellectual José Rizal.
“I love reading books, especially historical novels,” he said. United Nations News during a prison visit. “Reading is a form of entertainment; it helps pass the time and helps me forget about my problems. It also gives me a sense of freedom that I cannot have in prison.”
Graphic novels are a popular choice among library users.
Leave of absence for good behavior
Reading not only helps Dave escape the monotony of daily life inside the facility, but also helps him get his sentence reduced.
He is participating in Magbasa Tungo in Paglaya or Read it your way program, powered by UNODCFor every 60 hours that inmates in this prison spend reading books each month, they can have their sentence reduced by 15 days.
“It was a big advantage for me because I loved reading. The more I read, the shorter my sentence,” said Dave. As a library assistant, he was also known as a reading buddy. His role was to encourage other inmates to read and help them choose books from the library.
Every day about 10 to 20 prisoners borrow books and we hope this number will increase to include other prisoners who do not normally like to read.
A prison officer is reading a book on the library shelves.
The library has a wide range of books, both fiction and non-fiction, in English and Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines.
There are a number of self-help and law books that inmates in this prison find particularly useful, as most of them are in pre-trial detention awaiting trial. There are also religious texts, which cater to both Muslims and Christians in the prison.
This catalog was researched in consultation with the National Library of the Philippines, which also provides training on library operations for prison officers.
“This is a perfect idea,” said Chad Diaz, head of training. “Our mission at the National Library is to reach out to everyone, especially minorities. This is also a great way to build capacity for our brothers and sisters who have been deprived of their freedom.”
The pilot project at the Iligan City Jail was launched in April 2024 and has made a difference, according to Prison Officer Reiaine Sulit. “It was overwhelming how many books we received. The inmates were very happy,” she said. “I think reading brings a sense of peace to the prison.”
Prison officer Reiaine Sulit works in the library.
The prison, like many others in the Philippines, is severely overcrowded. There are currently about 550 inmates in a facility designed for only 270.
Rafael Bareto Souza, UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, said the programme could help reduce overcrowding in prisons across the Philippines.
“The primary goal is to reduce overcrowding in detention facilities, but this also has the added benefit of improving literacy and education levels and helping prisoners reintegrate into society after incarceration.”
Prison overcrowding
Reducing overcrowding in prisons has become a top priority for the Philippine government following a policy shift toward more humane treatment of prisoners. Reducing overcrowding will improve conditions for prisoners and reduce the burden on services such as health care.
The concept of reading-based sentence shortening is common in some Latin American and European countries, but “this system that encourages sentence shortening is the first in Asia,” said Rafael Bareto Souza. “It is innovative and progressive, and other countries in the region have expressed interest in the idea.”
Back at Iligan City Jail, things continue to turn a new page.
A prisoner and his reading buddy are discussing a self-help book.
A prisoner is studying a law book titled Evidence explained to prepare for a meeting with his lawyer the next day. Another was discussing a self-help book with his reading companion titled Don’t worrywhile the third man eagerly read the novel The Count of Monte Cristo after watching the movie of the same name before going to prison.
Everyone’s interests and concerns may be different, but everyone will benefit from the reduced sentence that comes with participating in a reading program.
*not his real name
Readers in detention: UNODC libraries and prisons
- UNODC has been working with prison authorities on a policy to establish “a functional and sustainable library for each prison”.
- UNODC has initiated the implementation of this policy by establishing 13 new prison libraries across the country (including Iligan City Jail), equipped with books, bookshelves, computers and other materials.
- In July 2023, 28 percent of prisons had at least some books for inmates. By early 2024, that number had increased to four percent.
- The expansion to 467 prisons in the Philippines is expected to be done with the support of local governments through regular budgets for public libraries in communities.
