Manila, Philippines – The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is anticipated to have an enlarged role in corrections management, according to BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang. Following proposals to merge the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and BuCor, this development is expected to reshape the country’s correctional system.
According to Philippines News Agency, who spoke to reporters on Monday, this change is part of a five-year development plan that aims to consolidate provincial jails, BJMP, and BuCor. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed a desire for this integration to streamline correctional management.
Currently, the BJMP, under the Department of the Interior and Local Government, is responsible for detainees with pending criminal cases. BuCor, functioning under the Department of Justice (DOJ), oversees convicts at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Catapang stated his personal preference for keeping jail and prison management under the DOJ, aligning with practices in other countries. He expressed reservations about creating a Department of Correctional Services, citing its complexity.
Catapang also emphasized the logical alignment of prison management under the DOJ, considering its close relations with sub-agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Immigration. On December 6 and 7, a jail decongestion summit in Manila, attended by the Supreme Court and various stakeholders, will seek to analyze the penal system comprehensively and address prison congestion issues. The DOJ confirmed President Marcos’ attendance, along with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.