The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) reported Sunday it has transferred another batch of 500 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
In a news release, BuCor said the inmates were transported on Saturday as part of ongoing measures to ease overcrowding at the NBP.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. is leading efforts to alleviate congestion at the NBP through strategic PDL transfers to other BuCor-operated prisons and penal farms across the country.
The decongestion drive is also aligned with the national administration’s broader criminal justice reforms aimed at enhancing public safety and human rights, Catapang added.
Established in 1940, the NBP has long struggled with severe overcrowding—a situation that significantly challenges the security, health, welfare, and rehabilitation of inmates.
With a facility designed to accommodate approximately 11,000 inmates, the NBP has consistently housed more than double its capacity, leading to issues that affect both the PDLs and the personnel managing the institution.
The recent relocation to Iwahig, Catapang said is part of a broader plan to distribute the prison population more evenly, providing a better environment for rehabilitation programs.
This strategic transfer is not just a temporary measure but a preparatory step toward the planned closure of the NBP.
“We envision a correctional system where PDLs can serve their sentences in humane surroundings that promote rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society,” Catapang said.
For 2026, the agency aims to transfer a total of 7,500 PDLs from NBP to other BuCor facilities nationwide.
