PDLs tapped for green revolution program
AT least 200 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have been transferred from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) in Abuyog, Leyte.
According to Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr., the PDLs left Manila on Tuesday night and arrived at Leyte Thursday night.
Catapang said the PDLs were escorted by corrections officers augmented by a Special Weapons and Tactics team and escort personnel from different NBP offices.
He said the transferred PDLs will beef up the manpower needs of LRP to expand its Green Revolution program.
The BuCor, said Catapang, is supporting the food security program of the government by tapping the PDLs to render service to the community by planting rice and vegetables.
He said the agency is presently undertaking projects in collaboration with other government agencies like the Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to put into good use the idle lands of BuCor and allow its PDLs as institutional workers in agricultural business ventures.
“We have laid down the foundation for the modernization of BuCor, and we will see to it that this endeavor will result in the betterment of PDLs and the BuCor as a whole to be relevant, sustainable and respected,” Catapang said.
Catapang said the BuCor continues to transfer PDLs from NBP to other operating prison and penal farms as a stop-gap measure in alleviating overcrowding and in line with the regionalization of correction facilities.
He said even some female PDLs from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) were also transferred from Mandaluyong City to Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
From June 2022 to January 31 of this year, BuCor has effectively and safely transferred 3,259 PDLs from NBP and CIW to Leyte Regional Prison; Davao Prison and Penal Farm; Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm; and IPPF.
Meanwhile, under the “Bilis Laya” Program of BuCor, Catapang said a total of 11,347 PDLs from June 2022 to January 2024 have been released with an average number of 567 releases per month.
Currently, the rate of admission in BuCor is significantly higher than the number of releases. Over the past five years, the average number of PDL releases was at 5,327 per annum while the average number of PDL admitted was at 7,823 yearly.
“Under these conditions, PDL population will continue to grow at steady rates, making regionalization the most potent solution,” Catapang said in his latest report submitted to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on the developments and statistical data about the BuCor’s efforts on decongesting and improving the manageability of its correction facilities.