BuCor transfers 300 Bilibid's PDLs to Iwahig Prison in Palawan
Three hundred more persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City have been transferred to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
In a statement issued on Saturday, August 16, the BuCor said the NBP will be vacated fully for the conversion of its reservations into a government center by 2028.
Early this month, the BuCor transferred 300 NBP’s PDLs to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro.
With the transfer of the 300 more PDLs, the BuCor said the congestion rate at the NBP dropped to 243 percent compared to 313 percent in 2022.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said the transfers of PDLs are carefully planned as those transferred will not just be relocated but would also play a vital role in supporting the agricultural initiatives at IPPF.
With part of its prison and penal farm reservations being developed into a mega economic zone, the integration of PDLs into this framework is expected to provide them with essential skills for reintegration into society, Catapang said.
“As we continue our path towards reform, the transfer of PDLs to Iwahig acts as both a temporary solution for decongestion and a foundational step towards a more rehabilitative approach to incarceration where inmates can contribute positively to society even while serving their jail sentences,” he also said.