BuCor disinfects Bilibid as COVID-19 cases continue to swell in PH

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Thursday sanitized the facilities of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.

BuCor chief Gerald Bantag led the misting operations in the national penitentiary.

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Bantag said aside from the misting machines, BuCor also bought N95 masks, alcohol, gloves, and disposable long sleeves to protect inmates from the highly-contagious respiratory disease.

“Sa kabila ng kakulangan ng supply sa merkado, hindi po tayo tumitigil sa paghahanap ng resources para mapunuan at makumpleto ang kailangang proteksyon ng mga (persons deprived of liberty),” Bantag said in a statement.

(Despite the insufficient supply in the market, we did not stop searching for resources to complete the needed protection of persons deprived of liberty.)

BuCor has earlier suspended visitation privileges on all its penal facilities after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a state of public health emergency due to surging COVID-19 cases in the country.

As of noon on March 19, the Department of Health said it has recorded 217 individuals infected with COVID-19. DOH also said that from the total, 17 have already died while eight were able to recover.

KGA