MUNTINLUPA CITY - The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) announced on Friday the relocation of 200 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to the Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) in Abuyog, Leyte. This move, part of the bureau's efforts to decongest the country's main penitentiary, saw the inmates securely transferred under the watch of corrections officers and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams from Manila on Tuesday night, arriving in Leyte on Thursday night.
According to Philippines News Agency, the relocation of these inmates to Leyte is not only a step towards reducing overcrowding at the NBP but also aims to integrate them into the LRP's 'Green Revolution' program. This initiative supports the government's food security program by involving inmates in agricultural activities, such as rice and vegetable farming, allowing them to contribute positively to the community.
Under the theme 'Bagong Bucor sa Bagong Pilipinas', the BuCor is actively engaging in projects with other government entities, including the Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. These collaborations focus on utilizing idle lands owned by BuCor for agricultural ventures, with the PDLs serving as institutional workers. Catapang emphasized the bureau's commitment to modernizing BuCor and improving the conditions and prospects for PDLs, stating, "We have laid down the foundation for the modernization of BuCor and we will see to it that this endeavor will result in the betterment of PDLs and the BuCor as a whole to be relevant, sustainable, and respected."