MANILA – Prison officials are in talks with indigenous peoples to craft a land use plan for regional prisons.
In a statement Saturday, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said it initiated a collaborative dialogue with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to optimize land allocation for the establishment of regional facilities.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and NCIP Chairperson Dr. Marie Grace Pascua met at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa Friday, where they agreed to come up with a technical working group that will assess feasible solutions that balance the goals of both agencies.
Pascua commended BuCor for its focus on the rehabilitation of individuals deprived of liberty.
She committed NCIP's readiness to set aside jurisdictional conflicts that may arise during their partnership, prioritizing open dialogue to achieve shared objectives.
BuCor said its tie-up with NCIP is not only a strategic alliance but a pivotal step toward enhancing the latter’s mission of cultural preservation and land protection, given its mandate to protect the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities and their ancestral domains.
The NCIP also asked BuCor to consider proposing a mineral zone to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority in its plan at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan.
“This initiative would allow for the local development of raw materials, fostering economic sustainability by processing resources domestically before exporting them. By aligning their efforts, both agencies aim to create a more effective and just system that respects Indigenous rights while addressing the complex challenges within the corrections framework,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Bucor has transferred 300 persons deprived of liberty from the NBP to Iwahig on Friday.
Since Catapang took office in 2022 to date, a total of 11,227 inmates have been transferred from NBP, with the aim to decongest the facility, bolster Iwahig’s manpower for its ongoing agro-institutional projects, and in preparation for NBP’s closure in 2028. (PNA)