The Director General, GENERAL GREGORIO PIO P CATAPANG, JR. AFP (Ret.), CESE, CCLH attended the National Decongestion Summit today, December 07, 2023, at the Diamond Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
DG CATAPANG discussed the Medium-Term Development Plan for 2023 to 2028 and the Long-Term Development Plan from 2023 to 2040 that will transform the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) into a modern Prison Facility that will serve as a lasting legacy of HIS EXCELLENCY FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.
Under the Medium-term Development Plan are the construction and repair of penal facilities, establishment of a unified penology and corrections system, expansion of e-dalaw system, livelihood and entrepreneurial opportunities for PDL, and multi-disciplinary rehabilitation mechanism, identification of classes of PDL who may be qualified for release and expand access to parole and probation for certain classes of offenses, and operationalize the unified referral and monitoring system for former PDL.
The Long-term Development Plan aims to establish Tripartite Agreements with BuCor, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and Local Government Units (LGUs) to enhance food security and climate change adaptation nationwide. This plan also involves establishing additional penal facilities as part of BuCor’s Regionalization Plan through a Tripartite Agreement among the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The Summit featured a diverse array of panel discussions, workshops, and presentations, providing a thorough analysis of the challenges and opportunities related to the decongestion efforts. This activity is expected to be a significant advancement in fostering a more just and effective criminal justice system, ensuring the protection of individual rights, and promoting the overall well-being of our communities.
