A Filipino jail officer was honored as the Outstanding Correctional Service Employee by the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA), besting other global nominees in the field of jail management and corrections.

In a statement Thursday, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said Jail Supt. Xavier Solda, current jail warden of Zamboanga City Jail Male Dormitory (ZCJMD), received the award in a special ceremony at the ICPA Conference in Antwerp, Belgium on Wednesday night. (Thursday morning, Manila time).

ICPA executive director Natalie Boal said Solda bagged the award for his tireless dedication to improving the lives of people incarcerated in the Philippines.

The ICPA Correctional Excellence Awards Committee, composed of corrections executives from different countries, cited Solda’s outstanding accomplishments in effecting jail management reforms, professionalism, and work ethics.

In his acceptance speech, Solda acknowledged the huge challenge of helping people behind bars rebuild their lives while citing national efforts to address the pressing concerns in jails.

“We will continue to move forward with concrete solutions; all for justice and human dignity,” said Solda, a member of the PNPA Class of 2008 and a product of the Development Academy of the Philippines and the Ateneo School of Government.

“I hope and pray that we can work together as one global community in the field of corrections, bonded with strong desire to build a better future, for the next generations to come,” he added.

In September, Solda’s unit was recognized as Best City Jail and a recipient of the first Gray Dove Award, the BJMP’s national recognition award for peacebuilding and innovations.

Before being named as ZCJMD head in January, Solda served as BJMP spokesperson. (PNA)