The New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City and Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City will be relocated in Palawan, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Monday, Nov. 11.
"Magsisimula na tayo maglipat (we will start the relocation), BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. during the 119th foundation day of the bureau.
“‘Yung New Bilibid Prison Muntinlupa will be transferred to New Bilibid Prison Palawan,” Catapang said.
Apart from Bilibid, the CIW will also be moving to Palawan, he also said.
What will remain at the Bilibid and CIW are their respective Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC) which houses newly transferred persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), he added.
Catapang said the BuCor’s property in Palawan will become an agro-adustrial zone that will help in the country’s food security.
“Palawan will become not only a penal institution. It will become a PEZA zone (Philippine Economic Zone Authority). A total of 25,000 hectares ang magiging (will become) PEZA zone Palawan and we will follow the Luzon group,” he said.
Because of this plan to move to Palawan, Catapang said “this coming. 2026 we are proposing na bibili rin tayo ng barko (we will purchase a ship).”
He revealed the plans to have the BuCor join the “Luzon corridor” in supplying agricultural produce.
“‘Yung produce natin sa Palawan dadaan tayo ng Mindoro tapos babagsak tayo ng Batangas. Dalhin natin ang ating mga kalakal doon and then somebody will buy our products there. (The produce in Palwan will be brought to Mindoro and then to Batangas where somebody will buy our products there), he said.
"Pagbalik naman ‘yung nandito sa RDC sa CIW at tsaka NBP dala-dala naman natin ‘yung PDL para irelocate doon" (The ship will return to Palawan with PDLs from RDCs of the CIW and NBP to be relocated),” he explained.
Last Jan. 31, the BuCor signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would allow PEZA to convert select properties of the bureau to economic zones.
In Palawan, Catapang said the PDLs will help cultivate the land to become productive, and earn livelihood and good conduct time allowance (GCTA) that would allow their early release.
“Dadating ang araw na titingalain din ang BuCor ng taong bayan kasi we are relevant, nakakatulong tayo (The day will come when the people will look up to the BuCor because it is relevant and it can help),” he pointed out.
The BuCor already has an existing facility in Palawan called the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) located in Puerto Princesa City.