Iligan City — Leonardo, a 40-year-old person deprived of liberty (PDL), had long suspected he was battling tuberculosis even before he was committed to the Iligan City Jail. “I’d been coughing for months, losing weight, and feeling weak. I knew something was wrong,” he said. Today, he’s finally getting answers.
From August 5 to 8, 2025, the Iligan City Jail is hosting a TB-HIV Caravan under the theme “Pangitaon, Patambalan, Paayuhon” — a call to seek out, treat, and heal. The initiative will screen more than 700 PDL from both the male and female dormitories using chest x-rays and blood tests, as medically appropriate.
A mobile medical bus, equipped with diagnostic tools and staffed by health professionals, has been stationed at the facility to ensure efficient and dignified screening.
“This caravan is a lifeline,” said JCINSP CARMELO A CORSAME, warden of the Male Dormitory. “It’s a chance to restore hope and dignity to those who’ve long been neglected. Many of our PDL come in with untreated illnesses.”
JINSP KRIZZA JANE C BERMUDO, warden of the Female Dormitory, echoed the sentiment: “Women in detention often face unique health challenges. This initiative ensures they are not forgotten. We’re grateful to our partners for making this possible.”
The caravan is a collaborative effort between the Department of Health, Iligan City LGU, Iligan City Health Office, and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). It aims not only to detect TB and HIV but also to link patients to treatment and care, reducing transmission and improving outcomes within the jail system.
Jail nurses emphasize that early detection is key. “We want to break the cycle of silent suffering,” said a JO2 Ricky N Tabug, jail nurse of the Male Dormitory. “By bringing services directly to the jail, we’re removing barriers and saving lives.”
For Leonardo and hundreds like him, the caravan is a moment of reckoning, and perhaps, redemption.
