3 days ago
BuCor to build halfway houses in prisons
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. on Wednesday ordered the establishment of halfway houses in prisons and penal farms nationwide.
According to the BuCor, the halfway houses will be for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) awaiting release and for released PDLs whose settlement arrangements are still pending.
Meanwhile, Catapang ordered the submission of plans and designs for each halfway house as well as the budgetary requirements.
Catapang also directed officials to identify areas where PDLs who are about to be released may stay in order to separate them from the general jail population while the project is being planned.
He said this seeks to prepare PDLs for their release and ensure that they have the resources necessary for their reintegration to society.
The BuCor chief stressed the importance of a program for PDLs within the halfway houses.
The program will include counselling sessions, orientation activities, interviews, and short courses.
"This holistic approach recognizes that preparing individuals for reintegration involves more than simply setting them free but it requires equipping them with the tools to navigate societal challenges effectively," Catapang said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
