Education is the way to modernize the Philippine Prison System—Catapang

The head of the Bureau of Corrections, Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr., has many ideas on how to bring the Philippine prison system to the modern era. Foremost is through learning. "The only way for us to be relevant is to equip ourselves, and that's through training and education," he said. "If there are schools that offer education and training to Bucor, I always accept their offer."

Catapang has also identified BuCor properties where schools can be put up. "So as early as now I'm telling the University of the Philippines to position itself in the Palawan. Put up the UP Palawan." The BuCor has extensive land and acreage in Palawan that Catapang envisions the institution's current partners, such as the Philippine College of Criminology and University of Perpetual Health to easily build schools and transport their programs to the island. "I'm so happy that the Philippine College of Criminology is our partner now, and they know the big picture of what will be the challenges of the 21st century."

Education, too, is the main weapon of Persons Deprived of Liberty to advance. "The University of Perpetual Health has taken the challenge to give our PDLs a second chance to have a better life after being released from prison." The program is described as The Bilibid Extension Program of the University of Perpetual Help System, and the only one in the world that offers free tertiary education inside a penitentiary. For Catapang, it seems the only real prison resides in the mind.