The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) supports a bill granting medical parole to elderly individuals aged 70 years old and above, as well as those who are terminally ill or severely incapacitated persons deprived of liberty (PDL).
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr. manifested this support during a budget briefing on the agency’s proposed 2026 budget, when Rep. Percy Cendaña discussed initiatives being undertaken to decongest the country’s prisons.
The bill proposes to institutionalize a system of medical parole for elderly and medically incapacitated PDL, based on humanitarian considerations and global best practices.
It aims to ensure their dignity and provide appropriate medical care outside the confines of prison.
Our penal system faces chronic challenges, notably overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and a rapidly growing population of elderly PDL, Catapang said.
He noted that many individuals over the age of 70 grapple with chronic illnesses that limit their ability to care for themselves and pose minimal risks to public safety.
Current estimates indicate that there are up to 1,000 elderly individuals incarcerated, with approximately 100 categorized as terminally ill.
Catapang said that countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have adopted legal frameworks for compassionate or medical parole, recognizing that continued incarceration of terminally ill or severely incapacitated individuals may constitute inhumane treatment.
