Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. on Tuesday said they will conduct a weeklong visitation initiative in all its operating prisons and penal farms (OPPFs) in conjunction with the celebration as part of National Correctional Consciousness Week (NCCW).

The announcement was made by Catapang after he approved the recommendation of Deputy Director General for Operations Asec. Gil T. Torralba.

This pronouncement, which will allow visiting hours from October 20 to 25, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., aims to foster family solidarity and enhance familial ties among persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), Catapang said.

He added this also forms part of the Bureau's continuing commitment to humane treatment and rehabilitation in consonance with the objectives of the NCCW celebration.

Catapang also ordered all concerned personnel to implement appropriate measures to ensure the safe, orderly, and secure conduct of the visiting activities within their respective jurisdictions, in full compliance with existing security and health protocols.

The regular visiting days in various OPPFs are from Wednesday to Sunday except for the PDLs at the NBP maximum, which are scheduled from Tuesday to Sunday due to the sheer number of PDLs.

Meanwhile, 500 persons deprived of liberty were transferred this morning from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City as part of the continuing effort of BuCor to decongest NBP and in preparation for its eventual closure by 2028.

NBP Acting Supt. Corrections Chief Inspector Roger Boncales said the PDLs left the Port of Manila at 2 a.m. and were escorted by 150 personnel composed of BuCor SWAT, medical personnel, NBP and NHQ corrections officers with augmentation from other law enforcement units.

They are expected to arrive in Zamboanga by Thursday.