REFLECTIONS: From Bars to Brotherhood: TCMP Transforms Lives in Iligan City Jail

ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 02 Feb) — Junjun wakes up each morning to the sound of his fellow Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) gathering for the daily meeting. In the past, mornings meant nothing more than another day of confinement, another reminder of mistakes that led him behind bars. But now, inside the Iligan City Jail-Male Dormitory, mornings have taken on a new meaning. They are moments of reflection, discipline, and hope—thanks to the Therapeutic Community Modality Program, or TCMP.

For Junjun, the program has become a turning point. Instead of idleness, his days are filled with activities that challenge him to grow: sharing lessons with peers, attending seminars, and participating in structured routines designed to instill discipline and values. What once felt like a punishment has slowly transformed into an opportunity for redemption.

The TCMP, the flagship rehabilitation program of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, is now the beating heart of Iligan City Jail-Male Dormitory. This year, the facility’s Welfare and Development Unit has intensified its implementation, signaling a stronger commitment to reformative penology. Gone are the days when jails were seen only as places of punishment. Today, they are evolving into communities of change, where inmates help one another rebuild their lives.

City Jail Warden JCIInsp Carmelo A. Corsame believes this shift is crucial. “TCMP has been the main rehabilitation tool of the BJMP. Its existence signals the dawn of penology that is reformative, rehabilitative, and developmental, away from the old concepts of penology that are punitive,” he said. Under his leadership, the jail has pushed for reorientation of persons deprived of liberty, the conduct of TCMP seminars, and the intensification of morning meetings—all aimed at strengthening the program’s impact.

Inside the dormitory, the atmosphere is changing. PDL are no longer just serving time; they are learning skills, engaging in livelihood programs, and receiving moral and spiritual guidance. The philosophy of “man helping man” is alive in every corner, as PDLs support each other’s journey toward rehabilitation.

For Junjun, these changes are more than institutional reforms. They are personal. Each day spent in the program brings him closer to becoming the man he hopes to be once he steps outside the jail’s walls—a responsible citizen, ready to rejoin society with dignity and purpose.

The story of Iligan City Jail’s TCMP is about transformation. It is proof that even within the confines of prison, hope can flourish, and lives can be rebuilt.

(JO3 Walter W. Mainit Jr. is the Welfare and Development Section Chief of the Iligan City Jail)