BuCor set to put up a regional prison facility in Southern Leyte
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) will set up a regional prison facility (RPF) on a donated 2,800-hectare land in Silago town in Southern Leyte.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. and Southern Leyte Gov. Damian G. Mercado signed on Friday, Nov. 28, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the establishment of the regional prison.
Catapang said he envisioned the RPF in Silago town to become a special economic zone that would integrate correctional, agro-industrial, and eco-tourism components.
He said that Silago has been recognized for its strategic location, with proximity to seaports and airports that can facilitate logistics and access, making the proposed RPF easily integrated to the envisioned special economic zone.
The BuCor said that under the MOA, both parties outline the specific responsibilities to ensure the successful implementation of the RPF.
“The BuCor will take the lead on planning and designing the facility while mobilizing technical resources and coordinating with national agencies, while the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte will provide the necessary local clearances, support services, and community coordination,” it also said.
The donation of the land for RPF is in line with Republic Act No. 10575, the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013, which mandates the BuCor to ensure the safe custody, reformation, and rehabilitation of persons deprived of Liberty (PDLs) and to modernize correctional facilities nationwide through the establishment of RPFs, Catapang said.