The Bureau of Corrections recently marked its 118th founding anniversary with a meaningful event held at Alabang Country Club that underscored its contributions to nation-building and creating a positive impact on its PDL (persons deprived of liberty) population and their families.

A highlight of the event was the signing of an agreement between BuCor and the Philippine College of Criminology to strengthen their partnership, with PCCR president Ma. Angelica Lei G. Bautista and BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. signing the agreement.

Catapang also took the occasion to thank the Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Inc. for the medical and health missions it has conducted among the PDLs under BuCor's care. The latest Tzu Chi mission — through the help of Daily Tribune led by its president Willie Fernandez and executive vice president Bettina Fernandez — involved providing free eye care, treatment and surgery to a number of aging PDLs losing their vision.

"Our PDLs are losing their sight. Thank you very much, napakamahal magpaayos ng katarata (cataract surgery is very expensive). One eye lang P100,000, dalawa P200,000. So we cannot afford that, that's about P5 million to P50 million na hindi namin kayang i-raise, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat (thank you very much to all of you)," said Catapang, addressing Tzu Chi.

Some 60 aging PDLs awaiting release from the New Bilibid Prison benefited from the free cataract surgery provided by Tzu Chi, a foundation established in Taiwan in 1966 by Dharma Master Cheng Yen as a worldwide humanitarian group guided by Buddhist principles.

Operating on the values of compassion, aid and volunteer work, the foundation has grown globally and is involved in diverse charitable endeavors such as disaster relief, medical aid, education initiatives and environmental projects.