BUCOR director general Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.
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Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. thanked First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos for what he described as the first visit by a Philippine First Lady to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Catapang said the visit highlighted efforts to improve access to legal assistance, healthcare and rehabilitation programs for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
More than 200 volunteer lawyers from various organizations accompanied the First Lady, providing free legal services, reviewing cases and examining legal documents of inmates.
The volunteers included representatives from the Ateneo Utopia Fraternity, Women of Aleitheia Sorority, National Bureau of Investigation, National Telecommunications Commission, Integrated Bar of the Philippines and PCL Law.
“The First Lady’s visit reminds us that behind every prison wall are individuals who, despite their past mistakes, remain deserving of dignity, compassion, and opportunities for meaningful transformation,” Catapang said.
The activity, themed “Kulay, Kalinga, Katarungan at Kalayaan,” brought together government agencies, legal professionals, healthcare workers and private organizations to support the welfare and eventual reintegration of inmates.
Catapang said the initiative reflected BuCor's responsibility to provide humane treatment while helping PDLs prepare for life after incarceration.
“Imprisonment should not mean the end of hope,” he said.
He emphasized that correctional facilities must go beyond detention by offering education, livelihood training and rehabilitation programs.
“Successful correctional management is not measured only by the number of individuals we confine, but also by the number we successfully prepare for freedom,” Catapang added.
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