PRISON congestion nationwide has dropped by 69 percent, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said Thursday.

“So, dati 356% ang congestion, napababa na natin iyan nang 69%. Dito na tayo sa 287% na lang,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said on “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.”

Catapang said the release of 10,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in 2025 was a major factor. 

He also pointed to the transfer of nearly 14,000 PDLs, mostly from New Bilibid Prison.

“And then iyong malakihang transfer nga ng mga PDL sa New Bilibid Prison, almost 14,000 – kaya po inimbitahan ko kayo bumisita kayo ulit sa New Bilibid Prison. Matutuwa kayo kasi hindi na masyadong congested,” he added.

BuCor said nearly 18,000 PDLs completed their sentences under the Marcos administration, while 5,000 were granted parole and 4,000 were acquitted.

Catapang also confirmed plans for a P6-billion “Supermax” facility in Occidental Mindoro.

“Ito po iyong Supermax na sinasabi natin ay pinasa po ito ng Congress, kasi wala na po tayong death penalty. So, ang gusto nila ay talagang maparusahan talaga iyong mga taong nagkasala at masigurado na hindi sila gumalaw pa o mag-isip pa ng masasamang plano habang nakakulong,” he said.

“Kaya next year po P1.5 billion ang ia-allocate and then, sa 2027 naman po P2 billion, and then 2028 ay P2.5 billion, so P6 billion po iyan na Supermax na gagawin sa Mindoro.”

BuCor will also open a corrections academy in Tanay, Rizal.

“We want to make our training standards as comparable with Singapore, Norway, U.S. and this will happen in the coming years kasi wala po tayong correctional academy. Kailangan po natin iyon,” Catapang said.