Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (Photo courtesy of IPPF Information Office)
MANILA – The Bureau of Corrections on Monday ordered penal facilities in the country to craft business link-ups with the private sector to generate more income that will make the agency self-sustaining.
Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang said in a statement that such business ventures with the private sector will help the BuCor realize its vision of being relevant, sustainable and respected as part of “Bagong BuCor sa Bagong Pilipinas” (New BuCor in the New Philippines) program.
He cited the Davao Penal Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF), which leases a portion of its land to banana growers.
The BuCor earns between PHP20 million to PHP22 million per month for the lease of its land, including the guaranteed annual production share where the bananas are planted, from Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Incorporated (TADECO), which exports Cavendish bananas to Japan, Korea, Middle East, Hong Kong, China, Russia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore with an average production of 5,000 boxes per hectare per year.
Persons deprived of liberty, on the other hand, also earn a living as employees in the packaging division of TADECO.
Of the total land area of 8,445 hectares of the DPPF, more than 5,000 are on lease to TADECO.
Similarly, the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan will soon earn from the Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security (RISE) program, which is aligned with the government’s program for food security.
Aside from the RISE program, which will use 500 of its 28,326.41 hectares of land, the IPPF is also being eyed as the first mega economic zone to attract big-ticket investments by having its own power, water supply and port.
Catapang said a negotiation is also ongoing for the possibility of leasing portions of the 664.71-hectare San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City for a solar project.
The BuCor has a total land area of 48,783.31 hectares that can be converted into agro- and aqua-culture sites and economic zones to help the country attain food security and food sufficiency as well as help in economic development, Catapang said.
“Imagine kung lahat ng OPPF (operating prisons and penal farms) namin ay may income, baka dumating ang panahon na hindi na kami hihingi ng budget sa gobyerno at kami pa ang magbibigay. Sa lawak ng lupain ng BuCor, di malayong mangyari yan' (Imagine if all OPPFs generate income, there will come a time when we will no longer need budget from the government. In fact, we could even contribute to the government budget. With the expanse of BuCor's properties, that is possible),” Catapang said. (PNA)
