The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) conducted a market sounding activity titled, “Unlocking BuCor Assets: PPPs and Purely Commercial Pathways,” on 18 May 2026 at Somerset Alabang, Muntinlupa City, gathering government officials, development stakeholders, and private sector representatives to explore investment and partnership opportunities for BuCor properties and development projects.
The activity forms part of BuCor’s continuing efforts to maximize institutional assets through transparent, sustainable, and development-oriented initiatives aligned with the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework and commercial development strategies.
The event was formally opened with welcome remarks from BuCor Director General, GENERAL GREGORIO PIO P CATAPANG JR., AFP (Ret.), CESE, CCLH, who emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships in transforming correctional facilities while contributing to national development objectives.
Representing Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary FREDDERICK A. VIDA, UNDERSECRETARY DEO L. MARCO conveyed the Department’s support for BuCor’s modernization and land development initiatives. In his message, UNDERSECRETARY MARCO underscored the DOJ’s commitment to responsible institutional reform and encouraged collaborative efforts between government and the private sector in pursuing projects that will generate long-term value for the corrections system and the public.
Muntinlupa City Mayor ROZZANO RUFINO B. BIAZON also delivered a message of encouragement and support for the initiative, recognizing the potential of the proposed developments to contribute to economic activity, infrastructure growth, and long-term institutional modernization. MAYOR BIAZON likewise expressed the local government’s openness to collaborative efforts that promote responsible and sustainable development within the city.
Also delivering a message of support was PPP Center of the Philippines Executive Director RIZZA BLANCO-LA TORRE, who reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to assisting government institutions in implementing viable and transparent PPP projects.
During the program, BuCor presented audio-visual briefings on the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Reservation and the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) Master Plan. Discussions focused on potential development opportunities, land utilization strategies, and investment pathways that may be undertaken through either PPP arrangements under existing laws and regulations or purely commercial mechanisms.
BuCor PPP Consultant, ATTY. ALBERTO C. AGRA, also presented the proposed terms of reference for open bidding and discussed two identified pathways for development, namely PPP under the PPP Code and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), and purely commercial arrangements under BuCor Memorandum Circular No. 23, Series of 2026.
An open forum followed, allowing participants from the private sector and partner agencies to raise questions, provide recommendations, and exchange insights regarding prospective projects and investment frameworks.
The market sounding activity reflects BuCor’s broader thrust to pursue institutional modernization, optimize government assets, and establish partnerships that support infrastructure development, operational efficiency, and rehabilitation-oriented reforms within the corrections system.
