The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Friday transferred 300 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

With this latest transfer, the total number of inmates relocated from NBP has reached 11,227 since the appointment of BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr.

Catapang said the transfer aims to ease congestion at NBP and provide additional manpower for ongoing agro-institutional projects at the Iwahig facility. He noted that the relocation is also part of preparations for the anticipated full closure of NBP by 2028.

A team of 100 BuCor personnel, led by Chief Correctional Inspector Alberto Andrada, supervised the operation to ensure the safe and orderly movement of the inmates.

Support was also provided by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Muntinlupa, the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), and the Philippine Coast Guard to secure the transfer convoy.

The logistics for the operation included ten commercial buses, two HPG motorcycles, a PNP Muntinlupa mobile patrol unit, a BuCor SWAT vehicle, and a backup L300 van, facilitating a smooth and secure transfer process.

BuCor continues its efforts to modernize the country's prison system while addressing longstanding issues of overcrowding and resource limitations.