Prisons need 10-K hands

An effective correctional system would need the hiring of 10,000 more personnel for seven major facilities nationwide to attain the ratio of one personnel to seven persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), according to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

BuCor director general Gregorio Pio Catapang said the current ratio is one to 20.

“We lack personnel at the moment that is why we continue to train new personnel to attain the actual ratio per PDLs. There is also the problem that we inherited when we took over aside from the lack of officers,” Catapang said.

He reiterated that they need at least 1,000 more officers to augment the current number.

“We lack officers here thus we have to train at least 1,000 more from the enlisted personnel,” Catapang said.

The record showed the bureau has 2,862 employees, 61 percent of whom are custodial (uniformed) officers, 33 percent are non-uniformed personnel and 6 percent are members of the medical service.

The BuCor supervises seven major prison facilities, namely: the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City; Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City; Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan; Davao Prison and Penal Farm and the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm.

6-month training needed

The recruits will be plucked out from the current enlisted personnel who will undergo six months of officer candidate course in Palawan.

“I will upgrade them to become officers so they can be taught to manage PDLs. Initially, this year 200 will be trained. They are those who are from the ranks,” Catapang said.

He added that the officers don’t have a problem with their educational background since they are all college graduates and board passers.

The specific requirement for them will be to undergo a candidate’s course to become officers of the bureau.

Meanwhile, President Marcos issued a directive during a recent meeting to fast-track the decongestion of PDLs at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa since he saw the situation in the area.

Catapang said the directive was relayed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, thus the PDLs will be relocated to Palawan.