The Bureau of Corrections has moved another 500 persons deprived of liberty from the New Bilibid Prison to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, as part of its continuing program to reduce congestion in the national penitentiary.
BuCor said the latest batch was transferred on Saturday, May 16, as part of its broader decongestion initiative, which seeks to advance criminal justice reforms, strengthen public safety, and uphold the human rights of PDLs.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said overcrowding at the New Bilibid Prison has remained a long-standing concern. The facility, built in 1940 for 11,000 inmates, now houses more than twice its intended capacity.
Catapang said the ongoing transfer of inmates is also part of preparations for the planned closure of NBP.
He said the Iwahig facility is central to BuCor’s plan to place PDLs in conditions more conducive to rehabilitation.
“We envision a correctional system where PDLs can serve their sentences in humane surroundings that promote rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society,” Catapang said.
For 2026, BuCor aims to transfer a total of 7,500 PDLs from NBP to other operating prisons and penal farms across the country.