Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. welcomed a delegation of United States congressional staff, along with representatives from the United Nations Foundation (UNF), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) who called on him Tuesday at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City..
This visit, Catapang said, highlighted ongoing efforts by the BuCor in collaboration with international partners to address critical issues within the Philippine corrections system.
He said it also served as an opportunity to explore avenues for future partnerships aimed at improving conditions for persons deprived of liberty.
The BuCor, according to Catapang is open to foreign delegates who wish to visit the agency’s facilities, saying such engagements open the doors for shared knowledge, resources, and best practices that can significantly impact prison reform initiatives.
“Strengthened international partnerships will be vital as the Philippines and global stakeholders continue to work toward addressing complex issues within the justice sector”, Catapang said.
One of the pressing issues tackled during the discussions was custodial deaths.
The UNODC has been actively working with BuCor to address the issue by creating a technical working group geared at creating a holistic approach among various agencies managing detention facilities.
The initiatives include mandating autopsies and developing an interagency health policy to extend health insurance coverage to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs). A memorandum of agreement was signed in July 2024 to establish a forensic flow system for investigating custodial deaths—a significant step forward in accountability.