Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. expressed full support to the planned integration of his agency with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla had earlier announced the integration of BuCor and BJMP in line with President Marcos’ directive to streamline resources and address jail congestion.
In a statement, Catapang said the consolidation of BuCor and BJMP will create a more cohesive framework for managing correctional facilities to modernize them and serve both persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and the society at large.
He also said the integration would not only seek to optimize operations but also to improve the overall conditions within the penal system, ultimately promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.
At the same time, Catapang said the initiative “is in line with the 2023-2028 Philippine Medium Development Plan of the Marcos Administration to have a unified penological and correctional system, a significant move towards improving the efficiency of the country’s correctional system aimed at streamlining resources and effectively addressing the pressing issue of jail congestion.”