The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor ; ; formerly the Bureau of Prisons from 1905 to 1989) is an agency of the Department of Justice which is charged with the custody and rehabilitation of national offenders, commonly known as Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL), who have been sentenced to three years of imprisonment or more. The agency has its headquarters in the New Bilibid Prison Reservation in Muntinlupa."About the Bureau of Corrections ." Bureau of Corrections. Retrieved on October 2, 2010. "Bureau of Corrections NBP Reservation, Muntinlupa, Philippines."

History Spanish colonial era

The Old Bilibid Prison which was located on Oroquieta Street in Manila was established in 1847 and by a Royal Decree formally opened on April 10, 1866. On August 31, 1870, the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm was established in Zamboanga City for Muslim and political prisoners opposed to the rule of Spain.

American colonial era

The Iuhit penal Settlement now known as Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm was established in 1904 by the Americans in 28,072 hectares of land. The land areas expanded to 40,000 hectares in the late 1950s. and expanded again to 41,007 hectares by virtue of Executive Order No. 67 issued by Governor Newton Gilbert on October 15, 1912.

The Bureau of Prisons was established on November 1, 1905 under the Reorganization Act of the Philippine Commission as an agency under the Department of Commerce and Police. The Reorganization Act also re-established the San Ramon Prison in 1907 which was destroyed during the Spanish–American War in 1898. The prison was placed under the Bureau of Prisons and receive prisoners in Mindanao.

The Correctional Institution for Women was founded on November 27, 1929, by virtue of Act No. 3579 as the first and only prison for women in the Philippines. Later, on January 21, 1932, the bureau opened the Davao Penal Colony in Southern Mindanao.

The New Bilibid Prison was established in 1935 in Muntinlupa due to the increased rate of prisoners.

Contemporary era Proclamation No. 72 issued on September 26, 1954, established the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, and the Leyte Regional Prison was established on January 16, 1973, under Proclamation No. 1101.

The Administrative Code of 1987 and Proclamation No. 495, issued on November 22, 1989, changed the agency's name from Bureau of Prisons to "Bureau of Corrections".

President Benigno Aquino III signed into law on May 24, 2013, Republic Act no. 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections Act which enables the government to upgrade and professionalize the country's penal system.

During the administration of President Bongbong Marcos in the 2020s, a proposal has been made to merged the BuCor with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to align the Philippines' penal system with its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Function The Bureau of Corrections is an agency under the Department of Justice. It manages prisons in the Philippines such as the New Bilibid Prison. It shares roles with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) which is under the Department of the Interior and Local Government although there are proposals to merge the two bodies.

The BuCor maintains the detention of inmates or what it calls "persons deprived of liberty" (PDLs) serving sentences more than three years of imprisonment. While the BJMP deals with convicts serving sentences less than three years or suspects awaiting trial. Prisons

The Bureau of Corrections maintains seven prisons and penal farms across the Philippines:

Current facilities Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) Main prison in Mandaluyong CIW Mindanao in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Braulio E. Dujali, Davao del Norte

Former facilities Corregidor Prison Stockade (1908 until the outbreak of the World War II) Fort Bonifacio Prison in Makati (until the 1980s) Bontoc Prison in Mountain Province

Future facilities Regional Prison Facility in Palayan, Nueva Ecija. Groundbreaking in 2026.

Organization Director Generals The Bureau of Corrections is managed by the Director General who is colloquially called as the chief of the organization. +List of Director Generals of the Bureau of Corrections Name Term George Wolfe 1904 – 1910 M. L. Stewart 1910 – 1914 W.H. Dade 1914 – 1920 Julius W. Quillen 1920 – 1923 Ramon Victorio 1923 – 1930 Paulino Santos 1930 – 1937 Eriberto B. Misa Sr. 1937 – 1949 Eustaquio Balagtas 1949 – 1954 Alfredo Bunye 1954 – 1958 Enrique Fernandez 1958 – 1962 Jason Angeles 1962 Felix Amante 1962 – 1965 Dominador Danan 1965 – 1966 Alejo Santos 1967 – 1971 Vicente Raval 1971 – 1982 Catalino Macaraig Jr. 1979 Ramon Liwag 1982 Vicente Eduardo 1982 – 1986 Edralin Palacios 1986 Meliton Goyena 1986 – 1991 Cleto Senoren 1991 Eriberto Misa Jr. 1991 – 1993 Vicente Vinarao (first term) 1994 – 1998 Pedro Sistoza 1998 – 2001 Ricardo Macala 2001 – 2003 Dionisio Santiago 2003 – 2004 Vicente Vinarao (second term) 2004 – 2007 Ricardo Dapat 2007 Oscar Calderon 2007 – 2010 Ernesto Diokno 2010 – May 2011 Manuel Co (first term) May – August 2011 Gaudencio Pangilinan Jr. August 2011 – August 2012 Manuel Co (second term) August – November 2012 Rafael Ragos November 2012 – March 2013 Franklin Jesus Bucayu March 2013 – 2015 Ricardo Rainier Cruz 2015 – June 2016 Rolando Asuncion (OIC) June – November 2016 Benjamin Delos Santos November 2016 – July 13, 2017 Valfrie Tabian (OIC) July 14, 2017 – April 30, 2018 Ronald dela Rosa April 30 – October 12, 2018 Nicanor Faeldon November 21, 2018 – September 5, 2019 Melvin Ramon Buenafe (OIC) September 6–20, 2019 Gerald Bantag September 20, 2019 – October 21, 2022 Gregorio Pio Catapang October 21, 2022 – presentSource: Bureau of Corrections

Logo

The logo of the bureau represents the government agency's mandate, the rehabilitation of inmate. The logo focuses on the man in prison as the main concern of rehabilitation. It presents man behind bars, but who looks outwards with the hope of rejoining the free community. The 7 rays of the sun represent the 7 operating prisons and penal farms who carry out the reformation programs of the bureau. The color green symbolizes hope. The color orange is symbolic of happiness. The bar of justice represents the Philippine justice system.

References

External links

Bureau of Corrections