Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang urged all operating prison and penal farms in the country to enter into business ventures with the private sector to realize its vision of being relevant, sustainable, and respected as part of "Bagong Bucor sa Bagong Pilipinas" program.

Catapang cited the case of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) and the Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Incorporated (TADECO), a company engaged in the production and export of fresh Cavendish bananas to Japan, Korea, the Middle East, Hong Kong, China, Russia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore with an average production of 5,000 boxes per hectare per year.

The BuCor earned between P20- to P22-million per month for the lease of its land including the guaranteed annual production share where the bananas are planted. Persons deprived of liberty on the other hand also earned from TADECO where they were employed in the packaging of its produce. 

Of the total land area of 8,445.13 hectares of DPPF, more than 5,000 were leased to TADECO.

The Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm ( IPPF) in Palawan will soon earn from the Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security (RISE) program, Catapang said, adding this is aligned with the government's program for food security.

The IPPF, aside from the RISE program which will utilize 500 hectares out of its 28, 326.41 hectares, is being eyed as the first mega economic zone to attract big-ticket investments because it will have its own power, water supply, and port.

Catapang also disclosed that in San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City, Supt. Vic Domingo Suyat informed him that there is an ongoing negotiation for the possibility of leasing 15 hectares out of 664.71 hectares of the SRPPF for a solar project and just like in Iwahig, 60 hectares of its land will be converted into an economic zone for foreign investments. 

The BuCor has a total land area of 48,783.31 hectares that can be converted for agro and aqua-culture sites and economic zones not just to help the country attain food security and food sufficiency but also help in economic development, Catapang said.

This is a welcome development for it will be good for the bureau to make it more relevant and sustainable and at the same time our PDLs will be respected as they have something to contribute to the community as part of their reformation and rehabilitation.

"Imagine kung lahat ng OPPF namin ay may income, baka dumating ang panahon na hindi na kami hihingi ng budget sa gobyerno at kami pa ang mag bibigay. Sa lawak ng lupain ng BuCor di malayong mangyari yan," Catapang said.

This is one of the reasons why we want to expedite the titling of all our properties nationwide since it will be our legal instruments in dealing with the investors and other stakeholders, Catapang added.