Fast Facts: National Bilibid Prison

June 25, 1865

—Through a Spanish royal decree, the country’s first national penitentiary, the Old Bilibid Prison (OBP), also known as “Carcel y Presidio Correccional,” was established in Manila.

180 x 180 meters

—area of land where the OBP stood

1,120

—capacity of the OBP, with the Carcel accommodating 600 prisoners segregated by class, sex and crime and the Presidio accommodating 527 prisoners

November 15, 1940

—To accommodate the growing number of inmates, OBP was transferred to a new facility in Muntinlupa which was named New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

3,000

—initial capacity of the NBP

300 x 300 meters

— area of NBP’s prison compound proper which stands on a 587-hectare prison reservation area.

1970s

—The original facility became the maximum security compound housing death convicts and inmates sentenced to life terms and those with numerous pending cases, multiple convictions and sentences of more than 20 years.

1980s

— A new facility was constructed 2.5 kilometers from the main building. This became the Medium Security Camp, also known as Camp Sampaguita.

January 22, 1941

— The electric chair was transferred to NBP.

20,000

— estimated number of inmates currently housed at the NBP

P50 billion

—indicative project cost of a proposed correctional facility in Laur, Nueva Ecija province, where the NBP will be transferred–Inquirer Research

Sources: bucor.gov.ph, Inquirer Archives