HISTORY OF THE PHIL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
IWAHIG PENAL COLONY: 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.
Governor Luke Wright authorized the establishment of a penal colony in the province of
Palawan on November 16, 1904. This penal settlement, which originally comprised an area of 22
acres, originally served as a depository for prisoners who could not be accommodated at the Bilibid
Prison in Manila. In 1906, however, the Department of Commerce and Police (which later became
the Department of Public Instruction) moved to turn the institution into the center of a penal colony
supervised in accordance with trends at the time. Through the department’s efforts, the Philippine
Commission of the United States government passed Act No. 1723 in 1907 classifying the settlement
as a penal institution.
The settlement was at first beset by attempted escapes. But under the supervision of Col.
John R. White of the Philippine Constabulary, who would become superintendent of Iwahig in 1906,
the colony became a successful settlement. A merit system was devised for the prisoners and
vocational activities were offered. These included farming, fishing, forestry, carpentry, and hospital
paramedical work. Prisoners could choose the vocational activities they wanted.
In 1955, Administrative Order No. 20 was promulgated by the President and implemented by
the Secretary of Justice and the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This order allowed
the distribution of colony lands for cultivation by deserving colonists. The order also contained a
list of qualifications for colonists who wished to apply for a lot to cultivate, the conditions for the
settler’s stay in his land, loan requirements and marketing of the settlers’ produce. Lots granted did
not exceed six hectares.
On August 16, 1959, a committee was created by President Carlos P. Garcia to study the state of
national prisons. Accordingly, prisoners in Iwahig were divided into two groups: the settlers and
colonists. The settlers are those engaged in farming for their own benefit; they are the ones whose
applications for land to cultivate have been approved. The government furnishes the land and initial
requirements for tools, dwellings and beast of burden. They are required to reimburse expenditures
incurred for their maintenance and that of their families out of the products of their farms. Upon their
release from the colony, they receive whatever amount of money they have credited in their favor,
after deducting the obligations they have.
Iwahig is subdivided into four zones or districts: Central sub-colony with an area of 14,700
hectares; Sta. Lucia with 9,685 hectares; Montible with 8,000 hectares and Inagawan with 13,000
hectares.
Recent developments and presidential proclamations have dramatically reduced the size of the
prison reservation of Iwahig.
Pre Colonial and Spanish Regime
During the pre-colonial times, the informal prison system was community-based, as there were no
national penitentiaries to speak of. Natives who defied or violated the local laws were meted
appropriate penalties by the local chieftains. Incarceration in the community was only meant to
prevent the culprit from further harming the local residents.
The formal prison system in the Philippines started only during the Spanish regime, where an
organized corrective service was made operational. Established in 1847 pursuant to Section 1708 of
the Revised Administrative Code and formally opened by Royal Decree in 1865, the Old Bilibid
Prison was constructed as the main penitentiary on Oroquieta Street, Manila and designed to house
the prison population of the country. This prison became known as the “Carcel y Presidio
Correccional” and could accommodate 1,127 prisoners.
The Carcel was designed to house 600 prisoners who were segregated according to class, sex
and crime while the Presidio could accommodate 527 prisoners. Plans for the construction of the
prison were first published on September 12, 1859 but it was not until April 10, 1866 that the entire
facility was completed.
The prison occupied a quadrangular piece of land 180 meters long on each side, which was
formerly a part of the Mayhalique Estate in the heart of Manila. It housed a building for the offices
and quarters of the prison warden, and 15 buildings or departments for prisoners that were arranged
in a radial way to form spokes. The central tower formed the hub. Under this tower was the chapel.
There were four cell-houses for the isolated prisoners and four isolated buildings located on the four
corners of the walls, which served as kitchen, hospital and stores. The prison was divided in the
middle by a thick wall. One-half of the enclosed space was assigned to Presidio prisoners and the
other half to Carcel prisoners.
In 1908, concrete modern 200-bed capacity hospitals as well as new dormitories for the
prisoners were added. A carpentry shop was organized within the confines of the facility. For
sometime the shop became a trademark for fine workmanship of furniture made by prisoners. At this
time, sales of handicrafts were done through the institutions and inmates were compensated
depending on the availability of funds. As a consequence, inmates often had to sell through the retail
or barter their products.
On August 21, 1869, the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City was
established to confine Muslim rebels and recalcitrant political prisoners opposed to the Spanish rule.
The facility, which faced the Jolo sea had Spanish-inspired dormitories and was originally set on a
1,414-hectare sprawling estate.
The American and Commonwealth Government
When the Americans took over in the 1900s, the Bureau of Prisons was created under the
Reorganization Act of 1905 (Act No. 1407 dated November 1, 1905) as an agency under the
Department of Commerce and Police.
It also paved the way for the re-establishment of San Ramon Prison in 1907 which was destroyed
during the Spanish-American War. On January 1, 1915, the San Ramon Prison was placed under the
auspices of the Bureau of Prisons and started receiving prisoners from Mindanao.
Before the reconstruction of San Ramon Prison, the Americans established in 1904 the Iuhit penal
settlement (now Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm) on a vast reservation of 28,072 hectares. It would
reach a total land area of 40,000 hectares in the late 1950s. Located on the westernmost part of the
archipelago far from the main town to confine incorrigibles with little hope of rehabilitation, the area
was expanded to 41,007 hectares by virtue of Executive Order No. 67 issued by Governor Newton
Gilbert on October 15, 1912.
Other penal colonies were established during the American regime. On November 27, 1929,
the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) was created under Act No. 3579 to provide
separate facilities for women offenders while the Davao Penal Colony in Southern Mindanao was
opened in 1932 under Act No. 3732.
Developments After World War 11
After World War II, there was a surplus of steel matting in the inventory and it was used to improve
the security fences of the prison. A death chamber was constructed in 1941 at the rear area of the
camp when the mode of execution was through electrocution. In the late ‘60s, fences were further
reinforced with concrete slabs. The original institution became the maximum security compound in
the 70s and continues to be so up to present, housing not only death convicts and inmates
sentenced to life terms, but also those with numerous pending cases, multiple convictions and
sentences of more than 20 years.
In the 1980s, the height of the concrete wall was increased and another facility was
constructed, 2.5 kilometers from the main building. This became known as Camp Sampaguita or the
Medium Security Camp, which was used as a military stockade during the martial law years and the
Minimum Security Camp, whose first site was christened “Bukang Liwayway”. Later on, this was
transferred to another site within the reservation where the former depot was situated.
Under Proclamation No. 72 issued on September 26, 1954, the Sablayan Prison and Penal
Farm in Occidental Mindoro was established.
In The Leyte Regional Prison followed suit under Proclamation No. 1101 issued on
January 16, 1973.
Transfer to Muntinglupa
The increasing number of committals to the Old Bilibid Prison, the growing urbanization of
Manila and the constant lobbying by conservative groups prompted the government to plan and
develop a new site for the national penitentiary, which was to be on the outskirts of the urban center.
Accordingly, Commonwealth Act No. 67 was enacted, appropriating one million (P1,000.000.00)
pesos for the construction of a new national prison in the southern suburb of Muntinlupa, Rizal in
1935. The old prison was transformed into a receiving center and a storage facility for farm produce
from the colonies. It was later abandoned and is now under the jurisdiction of the Public Estates
Authority.
On November 15, 1940, all inmates of the Old Bilibid Prison in Manila were transferred to the
new site. The new institution had a capacity of 3,000 prisoners and it was officially named the New
Bilibid Prison on January 22, 1941. The prison reservation has an area of 587 hectares, part of
which was arable. The prison compound proper had an area of 300 x 300 meters or a total of nine
hectares. It was surrounded by three layers of barbed wire.
Non – Operational National Prisons
FORT BONIFACIO PRISON: A committee report submitted to then President Carlos P. Garcia
described Fort Bonifacio, formerly known as Fort William McKinley, as a military reservation located
in Makati, which was established after the Americans came to the Philippines. The prison was
originally used as a detention center for offenders of US military laws and ordinances.
After the liberation of the Philippines, the reservation was transferred to the Philippine
government, which instructed the Bureau of Prisons to use the facility for the confinement of
maximum security prisoners. For several years, incorrigibles were mixed with political prisoners
(those convicted of rebellion) at the Fort Bonifacio facility until June 30, 1968, when it was converted
into a prison exclusively for political offenders. After a bloody April 1969 riot at the Muntinlupa
facility, however, incorrigible prisoners from Muntinlupa were transferred to Fort Bonifacio.
During the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal, the Fort was renamed Fort
Andres Bonifacio. The correctional facility was also renamed Fort Bonifacio Prison. The one-story
building now stands on a one-hectare area.
The Fort Bonifacio Prison continued to be a satellite prison of the national penitentiary even after
martial law was lifted. It was only in the late 1980’s that the facility was vacated by the Bureau of
Prisons.
CORREGIDOR PRISON STOCKADE: In 1908 during the American regime, some 100 prisoners
were transferred from the OldBilibid Prison to Corregidor Island to work under military authorities.
This move was in accordance with an order from the Department of Instructions, which approved
the transfer of inmates so they could assist in maintenance and other operations in the stockade.
The inmates were transported not to serve time but for prison labor. Until the outbreak of the
Second World War, inmates from Old Bilibid Prison were regularly sent to Corregidor for labor
purposes.
When the War broke out, prisoners on Corregidor were returned to Bilibid Prison. The island
prison was never reopened.
BONTOC PRISON: The Philippine Legislature during the American regime passed Act No. 1876
providing for theestablishment of a prison in Bontoc in Mountain Province. The prison was built for
the prisoners of the province andinsular prisoners who were members of the non-Christian tribes of
Mountain Province and Nueva Viscaya.
Bontoc prison could be reached only through narrow, poorly developed mountain roads. Due to
the enormous expenses incurred in transporting personnel, equipment and supplies to the prison, the
facility (The site did not finish its presentation)
1 Brig Gen Vicente Ranjo Raval, former PC Chief, was designated as Acting Director of the
Bureau of Prisons (now Bureau of Corrections). He was the longest reigning bureau
chief on acting capacity, longer than those appointed to the position. He was prison
head for 11 years.
2 BuCor had a ship before. It was called MV/Bupri. It was used to transport inmates from Manila to all
penal colonies including the produce of inmates from penal colonies to Manila. Its disappearance
remained a mystery up to this day.
3 Former Reception and Diagnostic Chief, Francisco Ruivivar was for six years head of Bureau
of Prisons RDC until he resigned and transferred to newly established Probation
Administration office. He eventually became the Head of Probation Administration.
4 Probation Administrator Manuel Co was formerly a Prison Guard in the Bureau of Corrections.
5 The Bureau of Prisons was changed to Bureau of Corrections after the passage of Executive
Order 252 or the 1987 Administrative Code.
6 Architect Ronald Tanchinco, the contractor convicted for the Ruby tower collapse, started the handicraft
business in the 1960s by introducing the Ship Wheel design, the precursor of all prison handicraft
business today.
7 Davao Penal Colony (now Davao Prison and Penal Farm) holds the record of the most violent
prison facility in the country having on its track a series of gory gang massacres in the
60s, hostage drama in 70s up to the 90s, armory raid by insurgents in 2000s.
8 Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (formerly Iwahig Penal Colony), a land-locked area, once had an
aggregate land size of 40,000 hectares. 85% of its penal reservation is mountainous and forested
areas. Most endemic flora, fauna and animals found in the area are still unnamed and
uncategorized yet. It is even suspected by professional miners that the largest vein of gold runs
through the mountains of the penal colony.
9 In 1982, the Bureau of Corrections introduced the College Degree Program for Prisoners thru
the initiative of the private sector (Rotary Club of Las Pinas) and the academe
(Perpetual Help College of Las Pinas.) The Degree course is on Bachelor of Arts major in
Entrepreneurship (then a pioneering course) and has, to date, graduated hundreds of
inmates already.
10 In 2009, Davao Prison and Penal Farm introduced a college degree program for prisoners too. It is
a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology offered by St. Ignatious College, an affiliate school of Ateneo de
Davao. The same school offered to prison officers an on-campus course on advanced and
graduate studies in Theology where a number of them have graduated already.
11 In early 1900s, the Prison Law was integrated in the Administrative Code of 1917. For a
time, it served as the legal foundation of the Bureau of Prisons. In 1987, the Bureau of
Prisons was changed into Bureau of Corrections. There were no changes in the manner
how the Bureau will function except through the old law. In 2013, Congress passed RA
10575 and was approved by the President. It was the Bureau of Corrections
Modernization Act of 2013.
12 In 1905, there were only 800 inmates confined in the Bureau of Prisons. After 110 years, In 2015,
there are now around 34,000 inmates serving time in the Bureau.
13 The Old Bilibid Prison situated along Azcaraga St. (now Claro M. Recto Avenue) in
Central District of Manila still stands and used as Manila City Jail. Relics of the the Old
Bilibid can still be seen along with dilapidated shanties in the area across Isetahn
Department Store (formerly Cinerama Theater).
14 In 1905, the first Prison Director was a Lieutenant in the Armed Forces. Now, 2015, the Prison
Director has the rank of Major General in the Armed Forces.
15 Two Prison Directors were formerly heads of major law enforcement offices. Former
Chief of Philippine National Police Oscar Calderon and Former Chief of Staff, Armed
Forces of the Philippines Dionisio Santiago.
16 In 1905 to 1986, the Bureau of Prisons (now Bureau of Corrections) supervised local provincial,
municipal and city jails aside from penal colonies all over the country. It was in 1986, after the
passage of the Local Government Code, that supervision of local jails was effectively removed from
Bucor function.
17 In September 18, 2007, the Correctional Institution for Women in Mindanao was
established within the prison reservation of Davao Prison and Penal Farm. It is the
second facility for women offenders in the country.
18 RA 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections Act effectively transformed the agency into a uniformed
bureau like that of AFP, PNP, Firefighters and Jail Bureau. The retirement age also was reduced
from 65 to 56.
19 Army General Meliton Goyena’s period as Prison Director was given to intellectual
formation, competent organizational handling and rational adherence to prison
administration.
20 Police General Vicente G. Vinarao had the rare distinction of having been appointed twice in the
post as Prison Director. His administration was considered the high point of stern and stringent
adherence to rules.
21 Police General Pedro Sistoza’s term as Prison Director was marked with candid, open
and honest management of resources.
22 Army General Gaudencio Pangilinan’s stint as Prison Director vastly improved the facilities of the
Bucor’s administration building; an accomplishment which can be considered as a combination of
almost all structural accomplishments of all prison directors before him.
23 Police General Franklin Bucayu holds the historical merit of having received the mandate
of new laws on Corrections —Bucor Act of 2013 (RA 10575) and new Good Conduct Time
Allowance (RA 10592). These legislative measures were initiated by former Prison
Heads Vicente Vinarao, Oscar Calderon and Gaudencio. Pangilinan.
24 Three members of the Supreme Court (2 Associate Justices: Justice Flerida Ruth Romero and
Justice Adolf Ascuna and former Chief Justice Reynato Puno) were once active participants in
prison programs.
25 In 1996, the National Penitentiary was proposed to be transferred to Bulacan. It never
gained any traction notwithstanding the fact that a land owner wanted to donate his
land for this purpose. In 1998, another proposal to relocate the National Penitentiary to
Tanay province was made. The site however was affected by a proposed construction of
a Dam for Metro Manila waterworks. Another site in Tanay province was eyed, a former
lot under DENR. Changes in prison leadership affected the project. In 2013, another
proposal was made. The national penitentiary or NBP will be relocated in a parcel of lot
within the AFP Training grounds of Laur, Nueva Ecija. To date, the project is to be
covered under the government’s PPP program.
