Congestion rate in PH jails down to 200% —BuCor

The congestion rate in Philippine jails has decreased to 200% since the beginning of the Marcos administration, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) reported Wednesday.

“In four years' time, na-decongest na natin [ang mga kulungan]. Dati, 300 to 350 [percent]. Ngayon, 200% na lang yung congestion,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said in an interview on “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.”

(In four years' time, we were able to decongest the jails. Before, it was 300% to 350%. Now, the congestion is only 200%.)

He added that the congestion rate in jails decreased through the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) program, under which persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) can earn reductions in their prison sentences through good behavior, studying, and work.

“As of now, as of last count, 32,000 na tayo. And then, ang target ko every year, mga 10,000 kada isang taon na papapalaya,” Catapang said.

(As of now, based on the latest count, we are at 32,000. And my target is to release about 10,000 PDLs every year.)

Part of BuCor's efforts to decongest jails includes building new facilities in Palawan, Nueva Ecija, and Laguna.

BuCor is eyeing the establishment of 13 regional facilities and two more facilities for individuals found guilty of committing heinous crimes.

Currently, BuCor said that it only operates in 5 out of 19 regions in the country: in the National Capital Region, Mimaropa, Eastern Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and the Davao Region.

The agency said there is a need to establish its presence in the Cordillera Administrative Region, the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, the Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Negros Island Region, Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Region.

Meanwhile, Catapang said that BuCor has started the establishment of a Super Maximum Facility in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. — BM, GMA News