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Bucor Chief Catapang bares priorities

The Bureau of Corrections bared it’s medium and long term programs to alleviate the decongestion plight of persons deprived of liberty in various prison and penal farms nationwide.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said that under their medium term program, a total of P205 billion is needed to fully implement their development and modernization program for 2023 to 2028.
This program includes the construction and rehabilitation of the current operating prison and penal farms  namely Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro; San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City; Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte; and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo, Davao Province to be able to transform it into a modern facility.
There was an increase in the total amount needed from the earlier reported of P77.7 billion since there are additional facilities included in the program like the quarter for BuCor personnel and facilities for female PDLs.
They will also implement the BuCor land utilization, control and management under this program pursuant to Republic Act 10575 otherwise known as the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013 wherein prisons lands previously donated to Local Government Units but were abandoned or not developed for more than five years from the time they were given, shall revert back to the bureau for inclusion in its plans and regular programs to expand and utilize as  penal agricultural, industrial, and or commercial production farm.
Aside from this, the BuCor, according to Catapang will convert a portion of the New Bilibid Prison  (NBP) Reservation into BuCor Global City as a source of funding for their development and modernization plan and to jumpstart their long term program which will entail P400 billion.
Included in the long term program  under the regionalization and heinous crime facilities for BuCor are the construction of 16 regional facilities, one facility for male and one for female for every region with the exception of NCR and the establishments of heinous crime facilities at Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Palawan City, Nueva Ecija for Luzon, Camp Macario B. Palta in Jamindan, Capiz for Visayas and Camp Kibaritan, Kalimantan in Bukidnon for Mindanao, Catapang explained.
The plan is to reconfigure prison facilities to accommodate only 2,500 PDLs per facility.
While awaiting for the needed funds for the medium and long term programs, Catapang said that he is presently implementing short term solution to decongest the national penitentiary like transferring of PDLs from the NBP to less congested operating prison and penal farms outside of Metro Manila. At least 500 PDLs have already been transferred to Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princess, Palawan while about 7,000 more will be transferred in batches this year to Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo, Davao Province and Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental, Mindoro.
Catapang also added that they will also implement operation “Bilis Laya” to expedite the processing of PDLs due for release as part of the goal spelled out by Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla to provide real justice in real time.

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