The Bureau of Corrections announced on Friday that it is set to hire at least 1,000 correction officers by 2024 to augment its personnel in its prison facilities nationwide.
BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. said that this year alone, the agency hired 1,500 COs — 502 of them just graduated from a six-month training, while 528 others just started their training last Tuesday.
Catapang said that the continuous hiring of COs would comply with the mandate of Republic Act 10575 or the BuCor Modernization Act of 2013, adding that they have already been implementing reforms.
"We have to adopt and redefine ourselves to make us relevant otherwise we will be left behind," Catapang said, adding that the RA 10575 mandates BuCor to turn its personnel into a uniformed organization.
He also disclosed that with the implementation of the law, the appointment of 804 personnel was invalidated due to lack of requirements.
Catapang also ordered his Directorate for Personnel to line up trainings and seminars for them to attend while those in the service for a long time were ordered to attend values formation program, lectures and seminars on prison leadership and management.
The BuCor chief also directed the establishment of a Comprehensive Administrative Disciplinary Machinery for erring personnel who committed breaches of discipline especially those related to graft and corruption.