The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) will see a significant boost in its budget for 2025 as the Department of Budget and Management has allocated P9.2 billion which represents a 22.41 percent increase from its 2024 budget of P7.5 billion.

BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. has expressed optimism on the budget increase and outlined how the additional funds will be utilized.

He disclosed that a portion will be directed towards increased recruitment and training of personnel — which includes correctional officers, healthcare professionals and support staff — as it aims to improve supervision and delivery of essential services for inmates.

“The budget increase will allow us to address staffing shortages,” Catapang said. “We will create 1,000 new Correction Officer positions this year and another 1,000 next year, along with providing them with firearms.”

Funding will also cover salaries and wages for existing personnel, including the annualization of previously temporary Correction Officer positions.

Another focus area is the ongoing decongestion program of the National Bilibid Prison (NBP). The budget allocates P288 million for the transfer of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to various prison and penal farms.

This initiative aims to alleviate overcrowding at the NBP, which currently houses a population of 28,892 inmates — exceeding its maximum capacity of 9,885 by a staggering 292 percent.

“The NBP congestion rate is a major concern,” Catapang said. “This budget allocation will help us move PDLs to other facilities and improve overall living conditions.”

The budget also includes P853.179 million for construction projects, including new dormitory buildings at prison and penal farms in Davao del Norte, Palawan, and Zamboanga City, while P300 million is allocated for the second year of construction on a Super Maximum Security Facility at the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro.

Catapang stressed that these infrastructure improvements are crucial for enhancing PDL capacity and living conditions. They also aim to accommodate the Bureau’s growing inmate population, which currently sits at over 54,988.

BuCor data revealed a concerning inmate-to-custodial officer ratio of 1:26. The increased budget aims to address this by moving closer to the mandated ratio of 1:7 as stipulated by law.