MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno S. Aquino III and Director Gaudencio Pangilinan of the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) led the launching of BuCor’s10-year roadmap last Friday that aims to provide adequate and meaningful rehabilitation for prisoners.

Called “BuCor 2022,” the roadmap focuses on six areas of reformation for prisoners: Health care, education and skills development, livelihood and livelihood training, moral and spiritual enlightenment, sports and recreation program, and behavioral modification.

The event drew key personalities in the public and private sectors. Among them were Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, philanthropist Bea Zobel, economist Dr. Jesus Estanislao, and Muntinlupa City Mayor Aldrin San Pedro.

Zobel and Estanislao form part of BuCor’s new board of advisers whose responsibility is to provide “wisdom and moral backing” in the implementation of BuCor’s plans.

In his keynote speech, President Aquino vowed to pursue wide-ranging reforms in the correctional system and announced his plan to transfer the New Bilibid Prison to another site.

Aquino noted that there is a need to transfer the facility since the NBP is already congested. He said the NBP’s capacity is for 9,000 inmates only’ but today, there are almost 20,000 prisoners in NBP.

There are 20,053 prisoners at the NBP and 938 prison guards, or a ratio of 1:64. In total, the BuCor handles 36,426 inmates at the NBP, The Correctional Institution for Women is in Mandaluyong City and there are five prison and penal farms in the provinces.

“Today, the plan to transfer the New Bilibid Prison to a more appropriate location is being mapped out in order that the NBP will become a bigger and effective correctional facility,” the President said.

He said a study is being made to find a place where some of the prisoners will be temporarily housed before they are transferred to the new facility.

There is a plan to transfer the NBP to Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija, but it will cost at least P17 billion. Some suggested that instead of transferring the prison, the BuCor can build additional facilities inside the NBP Reservation in Muntinlupa City, a cheaper alternative.

Aquino also announced that more prison facilities are being built in different parts of the country.

He said prisoners who are about to be released will be transferred to the other facilities like the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City, where they will serve as maintenance workers.

The President added that he has instructed the Department of Justice to speed up the recording of prisoners’ data that will be included in the National Justice Information System, which will serve as database.