Bucor to Congress: Raise PDLs' daily medical allowance from P15 to P30 daily
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has asked Congress to increase the medical allowance from P15 to P30 per day for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in all prison facilities nationwide.
Also, the BuCor sought Congress to consider a legislation that would provide a system of parole for 70-year-old PDLs who are medically incapacitated “for humanitarian consideration and global best practices.”
In a statement, the BuCor said that Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. raised the twin proposals during the budget hearing last Tuesday, Oct. 21, before the Senate Committee on Finance headed by Sen. Sherwin Gathalian.
Catapang said the increase in the medical allowance is part of “the necessity of enhancing healthcare provisions within the correctional facilities.”
On parole for medically incapacitated PDLs, Catapang said: “Elderly PDLs with chronic illnesses limit their ability to care for themselves and pose minimal risks to public safety.”
He also said the parole will help the BuCor not only in its decongestion efforts but also in alleviating the burden on the prison system and recognizing and addressing the basic human rights of some of the most vulnerable individuals.