The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has been tapped by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) for agricultural production in the country’s prison and penal farms.
The BuCor had earlier said it has 48,783.31 hectares of land nationwide that can be converted to agricultural and aqua-culture sites as well as economic zones.
“We have massive resources of vacant lots in our operating and prison farms nationwide that we really intend to develop,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said.
“This initiative presents a dual opportunity — enhancing productivity while also aiding rehabilitation, and offering a pathway for inmates to reintegrate into society post-release with newfound skills and experience,” Catapang said.
Catapang and BPI Director Glen Panganiban met last Monday, May 5, and discussed the plans for agricultural production.
“Through these initiatives, Bucor not only transforms its image but also significantly contributes to national goals, fostering a healthier society where rehabilitation and agricultural progress go hand in hand,” Catapang said.
With BPI’s help, the BuCor can “enhance the agency’s commitment to support the government’s food security program by transforming its vacant lots into productive agricultural spaces and also engage incarcerated individuals in meaningful work,” he also said.
Under the initiatives, he pointed out that the BPI will “collaborate with Bucor to provide its expertise and technology needed to help the Bucor innovation in governance and its proactive approach in utilizing available resources to contribute positively to the nation’s food security, a pressing issue in today’s socio-economic climate.”
Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Philip Young joined in the online meeting between Catapang and Panganiban.
The BuCor said that Assistant Secretary Young suggested “a tailored approach to plant selection that meets market demand while ensuring sustainability.”
There are seven operating prisons and penal farms (OPPFs) under BuCor –the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, the Leyte Regional Prison (LRP), the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City, the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro, the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF), and the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm ( IPPF) in Palawan.