The 2nd ASEAN Regional Correctional Conference (ARCC) officially concluded on 16 February 2025, with a strong commitment from ASEAN correctional leaders to enhance regional cooperation in prison reform, rehabilitation, and reintegration strategies.
The conference, hosted by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), provided a platform for high-level discussions on shared challenges and opportunities in correctional management.
The conference concluded with the official turnover of the ARCC emblem. BuCor Director General GREGORIO PIO P CATAPANG JR., AFP (Ret) CESE, CCLH and BJMP Jail Director RUEL S RIVERA, DSC formally handed over the emblem to Pol. Lt. Col. SHANE KANCHANAPACH of Thailand, marking Thailand as the host of the 3rd ARCC in 2026.
As ASEAN correctional leaders depart from Puerto Princesa, the resolutions established during the 2nd ARCC will serve as a blueprint for future reforms. With a renewed commitment to rehabilitation-focused corrections and humane incarceration practices, ASEAN member states reaffirm their dedication to a more transformative and sustainable correctional system.
The journey toward an integrated and progressive ASEAN correctional framework continues, with the 3rd ARCC in Thailand set to further strengthen the alliance and drive forward the shared vision for a reformed and rehabilitative correctional system.
