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December 7, 2025 | 1:52pm
The CHR’s new “Laya Calculator” computes PDL release dates more accurately by standardizing GCTA and other time credits.
Philstar.com illustration
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has developed a digital tool that accurately determines how much time a Person Deprived of Liberty (PDL) has left to serve, aiming to bring transparency and consistency to release-date computations.
Unveiled during the CHR’s Advancing PDL Rights 2026 program on Friday, December 5, the “Laya Calculator” standardizes the computation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) and the Time Allowance for Study, Teaching, and Mentoring.
“For years, these computations have been opaque, inconsistently applied, and difficult for PDL and their families to understand,” the CHR said. “By standardizing and simplifying release-date computation, the Laya Calculator enhances transparency and helps prevent overstaying—a persistent concern in the Philippine correctional system.”
The app was developed with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Ian Niccolo Tobia, UNODC National Programme Officer, said the tool will help address gaps in record-keeping that often leave inmates unsure of how much of their sentence they have already served.
“Everywhere we go, PDLs want to know their GCTA computation, but records are not always available, and the process is difficult,” Tobia said. “When a 40-year sentence can become just 17 years and 13 days with complete GCTA and the TASTM, we see how life-changing accurate computation can be.”
Aligning with Mandela Rules. The Laya Calculator also operationalizes the Nelson Mandela Rules, which require that release dates be clearly recorded and updated.
According to the CHR, the tool will help jail officers, public attorneys, human rights workers and PDLs verify eligibility for release and track dynamic release dates as allowances accumulate.
What GCTA does. GCTA is a privilege granted to detained or convicted prisoners, allowing a reduction in their jail time for good conduct and exemplary behavior. In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that PDLs convicted of heinous crimes may also qualify for GCTA, expanding access to the time-allowance mechanism.
