THIRTEEN prisons across the country will receive books and other essential supplies to start their own libraries to boost the rehabilitation of inmates.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology unveiled its “Read Your Way Out: Promoting Prison Reform via Libraries for Lifelong Learning in Places of Detention” program in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. It aims to provide learning opportunities for persons deprived of liberty to help in their personal growth, well-being, and rehabilitation.

The program includes reading-related activities as one of the ways PDLs can obtain a Time Allowance for Study, Teaching, and Mentoring.

Officials hope that the program will help reduce congestion in jails.

The project will be carried out by a technical working group made up of representatives from the BJMP and UNODC.

Representatives of the National Library of the Philippines were also included as members of the TWG.