CDT 2C CARL JOHNWYNE LINGCORAN FEBRUARY 2, 2022

SEC 7/ CL2023

7 PENAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

THE NEW BILIBID PRISON

It is the main insular penitentiary designed to house the prison population of
the Philippines, located at Muntinlupa City. It is maintained of the Bureau of
Corrections under the Department of Justice. As of the year 2004, the New Bilibid
Prison has inmate population of more or less 16,700. The penitentiary had an initial
land area of 551 hectares. 104 hectares of the facility were transferred to a housing
project of the Department of Justice. The Bureau of Corrections has its
headquarters in the NBP reservation.

CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN

It is a correctional institution or prison intended for women located at
Mandaluyong City. Just like the Bilibid Prison, this penitentiary institution is also
operated under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Corrections, and it is one of their
most recent one. It was inaugurated on September 18, 2007. It was opened during
the administration of the former Secretary of Justice Agnes Devanadera. It was the
second institution that branched out from the first Penal Establishment that was
intended exclusively for women offenders.

IWAHIG PRISON AND PENAL FARM

This is located in Puerto Princessa City, Palawan. It is one of the seven
operating units of the Bureau of Corrections under the Department of Justice. This
facility was established during the American occupation. It was however, during
the Spanish regime that Puerto Princesa was designated as a place where
offenders sentenced to banishment were exiled. A specific area of Puerto Princesa
was selected as the site for a correctional facility. The American military carved
out a prison facility in the rain forest of Puerto Princesa. The institution had for its
first Superintendent Lt. George Wolfe, a member of the U.S. expeditionary force,
who later became the first prisons director.

SAN RAMON PRISON AND PENAL FARM

According to historical accounts, the San Ramon Prison was established in
southern Zamboanga on August 21,1870 through a royal decree promulgated in
1869. Established during the tenure of Governor General Ramon Blanco (whose
patron saint the prison was named after), the facility was originally established for
persons convicted of political crimes.

Considered the oldest penal facility in the country, prisoners in San Ramon were
required to do agricultural work.

During the Spanish-American War in 1898, the prisoners in San Ramon were
hastily released and the buildings destroyed. In 1907, the American administration
re-established the prison farm. In 1912, Gen. John Pershing, chief executive of the
Department of Mindanao and Sulu, classified the institution as a prison and penal
colony and therein confined people sentenced by the courts under his jurisdiction.
Under Pershing’s supervision, several buildings with a capacity for 600 prisoners
were constructed. After several years, the colony became practically self
supporting, with 75,000 coconut trees, which were planted at the beginning of
Pershing’s administration, contributing tothe colony’s self-sufficiency. Aside from
coconuts, rice, corn, papaya and other crops were also cultivated.

On November 1, 1905, Reorganization Act No. 1407 was approved creating the
Bureau of Prisons under the Department of Commerce and Police, integrating
the Old Bilibid Prison, San Ramon Penal Colony and Iwahig Penal. The
Philippine Coconut Authority took over management of the coconut farm from San
Ramon.

In 1995, Congresswoman Maria Clara Lobregat proposed the transfer of San

Ramon Prison to Bongiao town, in the mountainous area of Zamboanga, to give
way to a special economic zone.

SABLAYAN PRISON AND PENAL FARM

Nearer to Manila than other penal colonies, the Sablayan Penal Colony is
located in Occidental Mindoro and relatively new. Established on September 26,
1954 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 72, the penal colony has a total
land area of approximately 16,190 hectares.
Prison records show that the first colonists and employees arrived in Sablayan on
January 15, 1955. Since then several buildings have been constructed, including
the colonists dormitories, employees quarters, guardhouse, schoolhouse, chapel,
recreation hall, and post exchange.

Three sub-colonies were later organized. One is a reservation which this day
remains part of a protected rainforest. Another is in a coastal area. The third was
used by the national government as a relocation site for refugees from the
eruption of Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991. Sablayan prison is a facility where
prisoners from NBP are brought for decongestion purposes. It follows the same
colony standards as other penal farms.

LEYTE REGIONAL PRISON

The Leyte Regional Prison, situated in Abuyog, Southern Leyte, was
established a year after the declaration of martial law in 1972 by virtue of
Presidential Decree No. 28. While its plantilla and institutional plan were almost
ideal, lack of funds made the prison unable to realize its full potential and its
facilities are often below par compared with those of other established penal farms.

The LRP has an inmate capacity of 500. It follows the same agricultural format as
the main correctional program in addition to some rehabilitation activities. The
prison admits convicted offenders from Region VI and from the national penitentiary
in Muntinlupa.