Warden seeks increase in jail food budget
Hard times hit the management of the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC) reason why the warden now wants an increase in its food budget.
Backed by Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr., lawyer Soteo Gardose, IRC warden, wrote members of the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) for legislative support.
Food management, Gardose said, is most difficult and if granted, a P10 increase per inmate will resolve the problem.
“Please be informed that food services to the inmates at this Center are being contracted and provided by SLP Canteen, owned and managed by Ms. Hannah Marie C. Puda, through bidding every three months,” Gardose explained. “The budget allocation for the food given to the inmates is measly P40.00 for three meals a day for each inmate, P3.00 of which is deducted as EVAT. Preparation of the food is done at the kitchen of this Center by the private caterer’s employees themselves with the assistance of some inmates and on the cleaning of the kitchen areas and kitchen utensils are concerned. Before it is rationed directly to the inmates individually inside their respective assigned brigades, the prepared food is first inspected by the representatives of both the management (representative of this Center) and of the inmates to check whether the prepared food follows the approved daily menu or is cooked well.”
Gardose lamented the “measly” budget saying such is “not sufficient to buy nutritious and quality food for the inmates.”
“It is recommended therefore that in order for the private caterer to provide inmates with nutritious and quality food that is in keeping with this Center’s rehabilitation services, a budget appropriation for the inmates’ food allowance be increased…,” Gardose ended.
To note, current year’s food budget for the IRC stands at P14.6 million with the per inmate rate the same elsewhere in most jail facilities and detention centers in the country.
Food mis-management here has since been an issue with hundreds of inmates found to have been deficient in most basic of nutrition.
Committee on Health chair, First District Board Member Mac Napulan conducted an extensive probe alongside the Committee on Public Order and Security chaired by First District Board Member Richard Garin.
Among the agreed resolution was for the IRC to hire a nutritionist or at least use some professional help in coming up with a well-balanced meal.
Everyday for the past many days, the committee was told, food served was not as pre-approved and paid for by the multi-million IRC food budget. Anything that is meat or resembles meat is reportedly alien here.