Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. welcomed 338 newly graduated custodial officers, challenging the incoming class to drive institutional change and dismantle corrupt practices within the prison system.

The new class, consisting of 234 men and 104 women from Custodial Officer Recruitment Course Class 2025-01, represents a new generation poised to lead transformative reforms, Catapang said.

He added that the young officers will help advance the government’s vision of a modernized agency.

Catapang reminded the graduates that wearing the uniform requires a permanent shift in their personal and professional conduct.

“Now that you are uniformed personnel, many changes in your behavior and speech are expected,” Catapang said, urging them to embody integrity, service, and discipline. He noted that these core values are baseline responsibilities funded by taxpayers.

In a direct address regarding institutional integrity, Catapang ordered the new guards to adhere strictly to the BuCor operational manual, even if it means defying senior officers.

“If your superior orders you to perform illegal acts, stand firm on the BuCor manual and call attention to it,” Catapang said.

He explained that accountability under his command extends upward, warning that if a subordinate commits an infraction, their immediate superior will also be held responsible.

Catapang explicitly cautioned the new officers against jeopardizing their law enforcement careers through incompetence, negligence, or corruption.

To support the expanding workforce, Catapang promised that the agency would look after the welfare of its personnel.