Bucor chief tells prison officials to go on ventures with business sector

One of the roads with biosecurity facilities in Tadeco plantation in Davao del Norte which was opened to the public on March 26, 2018 (Contributed file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is encouraging officials of prison and penal farms (OPPF) in the Philippines to enter into business ventures with private sector.

In a statement on Monday, BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang said this is part of ‘Bagong BuCor sa Bagong Pilipinas’ program.

According to the BuCor chief, the cases of Davao Prison and Penal Farm and Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Incorporated (TADECO) in Panabo city, Davao del Norte prove this scheme is effective.

“The BuCor earned between P20 million to P22 million per month for the lease of its land, including the guaranteed annual production share where the bananas are planted,” he reported.

“Persons deprived of liberty, on the other hand, also earned from TADECO where they were employed in the packaging of its produce,” he noted.

Catapang said more than 48,000 hectares of BuCor’s lands can be converted into agro and aqua-culture sites and economic zones.

He believes these developments can help the country attain food security, food sufficiency, and also help boost the country’s agricultural growth.

“Imagine kung lahat ng OPPF namin ay may income. Baka dumating ang panahon na hindi na kami hihingi ng budget sa gobyerno at kami pa ang magbibigay,” he said.

(Imagine if all our OPPFs have incomes. Maybe the time will come when we will no longer ask for a budget from government and we will even be the ones to provide it.)

“Sa lawak ng lupain ng BuCor, di malayong mangyari yan,” he added.

(With the vast expanse of BuCor’s lands, that is not far from happening.)