THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is set to establish a regional prison facility in Laguna in a 500-hectare lot from the University of the Philippines’ Laguna-Quezon.
The planned establishment of the facility is part of the reciprocal arrangement between the BuCor and UP under the Memorandum of Understanding they inked last Friday at the UP Bahay ng Alumni in Diliman, Quezon City.
The MOU was signed by BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. and UP president Angelo Jimenez.
In return for allowing BuCor to establish the detention facility in the said lot, UP will gain access to 500 hectares of BuCor’s land in Iwahig, Puerto Princesa in Palawan.
Last month, the BuCor said the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has approved the inclusion of idle lands in the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in the Palawan Mega Ecozone that will pave the way for the creation of the country’s first mega eco-industrial zone.
PEZA said the ecozone will accommodate emerging and high-value industries like electric vehicle production, advanced manufacturing, green ores processing, nano tech, knowledge-based and AI-driven industries, medical-related industries, and blue industries.
Catapang said the reciprocal arrangement is designed to maximize land use in a manner that aligns with the objectives of both organizations, paving the way for enhanced service delivery and community support.
“This partnership addresses logistical needs, such as the establishment of a regional prison facility as we prepare for the closure of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City come 2028,” Catapang said.
The BuCor and the Department of Justice have laid out plans to develop the Bilibid property, in cooperation with the private sector, into a commercial and business area similar to the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
Part of the plan includes transferring Bilibid inmates to other operating prison and penal farms and building regional prison facilities.
Catapang said the MOU with UP could serve as a model for future collaborations aimed at enhancing public service and educational initiatives across the country.
Jimenez for his part said the partnership will also pave the way for the establishment of a Technical Working Group consisting of representatives from both BuCor and UP, tasked with exploring the feasibility of the proposed land utilization.
Meanwhile, a Memorandum of Agreement for a tripartite partnership on education access and workforce development was also signed by Catapang, Chancellor of the UP Open University (UPOU) chancellor Dr. Joane Serrano, and UP Alumni Association (UPAA) president Robert Lester Aranton.
Under the MOA, the UPOU will facilitate access to its Massive Open Online Courses, which include courses relevant to workforce development and professional growth for Bucor personnel and inmates, while UPAA will coordinate with UPOU and Bucor with regard to information materials, inmates’ inquiries, enlistment and participation and guidance during the program implementation.
The UPAA will also make the services of its Job Placement Office available for inmates who will graduate from the UPOU under the program and who are due for release from detention.
