As the celebration of the 29th National Correctional Consciousness Week (NCCW) with the theme: “The Correctional Community: Journeying together in Mutual Support on a Mission of Love” continues, the Bureau of Corrections’ Directorate for External Relations (DER) and External Affairs Division (EAD) led by CT/SUPT NOEL M MARQUEZ, DVM, DPA and CT/INSP STELLA MAY C LAT hosted its 7th Culminating Program F.Y. 2023 on October 27, 2023 for the graceful exit of one hundred forty-six (146) released Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) and Awarding of Certificate for Stakeholders, held at the BuCor, National Headquarters.
The event was graciously welcomed by HON. JESUS CRISPIN C. REMULLA of the Department of Justice (DOJ); ATTY. PERSIDA RUEDA-ACOSTA, D.S.D, Chief, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO); ATTY. SERGIO CALIZO JR. and ATTY. BIENVENIDO O BENITEZ, Chairman and Administrator of the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP); ATTY. SARAH BUENA S MIRASOL, Regional Director, Department of Labor and Employment-National Capital Region (DOLE-NCR) and ASEC GIL T TORRALBA, OIC-BuCor.
C/CSUPT CELSO S BRAVO, OIC-Deputy Director General for Reformation, was also in attendance, as were other BuCor Key Officials, providing much-needed support to witness their graceful exit with pride and honor.
With the theme “Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Pag-asa.. Sa Pambansang Linggo ng Kamalayan sa Pagwawasto ay Matatamasa,” the 146 PDL released today is included in the total number of nine hundred forty-nine (949) PDL released Bureawide since August 25, 2023. This is the result of the simultaneous culminating program facilitated by the External Affairs Section (EAS) of all Prison and Penal Farms (PPFs) which consisted 78-at New Bilibid Prison (NBP), 1-NBP Extension Facility, Philippine Military Academy (PMA), 15- at Correctional Institution for Women (CIW), 10- at Leyte Regional Prison (LRP), 4- at Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF), 4- at Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF), 6- at San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) and 28-at Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF). The majority of the total number of PDL released was due to Expiration of Maximum Sentence with Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) while others were released due to Acquittal, Parole and Expiration of Maximum Sentence with GCTA (D.O. 652).
During the program, a former PDL delivered an encouraging speech to the audience, which was followed by a 45-minute video presentation of released PDL bureauwide. The program also featured the distribution of prison discharge certification, grooming kits, and gratuity and transportation allowance.
Additionally, the BuCor family formally expressed its gratitude and awarded the benefactors for their invaluable efforts to this bureau.
The collaborative efforts of the DOJ, PAO, BPP and DOLE including the PDL Documents and Processing Division’s Management Screening Evaluation Committee and Separation Center Bureauwide that BuCor remains at par in expediting the release system of qualified PDL into the mainstream society.
Through the firm leadership of Director General, GENERAL GREGORIO PIO P CATAPANG JR, AFP (Ret.), CESE, another noteworthy event has occurred during the week-long celebration of the BuCor’s NCCW