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Newly transferred PDLs at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm on March 27, 2026.
Bureau of Corrections / Released
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has transferred 500 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to a Palawan penal facility to decongest the Muntinlupa-based New Bilibid Prison.
In a statement on Sunday, March 29, BuCor said it transferred the 500 PDLs to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm’s newly constructed dormitory in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, on March 27.
BuCor Director Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said the newly constructed structure is designed to house up to 1,000 individuals, effectively doubling the capacity currently being utilized by this first wave of transfers.
“The newly constructed dormitory adds modern infrastructure while maintaining the farm’s principles of humane treatment and rehabilitation through productive labor,” the BuCor statement read.
The Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm is one of BuCor’s seven operating facilities.
The facility has an open-air setup that serves as a rehabilitation center, allowing minimum-security PDLs to engage in farming, fishing, and handicrafts.
On March 28, Catapang said the government is planning to transfer 7,500 PDLs to regional penal facilities to decongest the New Bilibid Prison.
The relocation aims to ease the heavy population pressure at the national penitentiary, which has frequently come under fire for its cramped conditions, Catapang said.
As of September 2025, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology had a 286% congestion rate, while BuCor had a 290% congestion rate.
