The New Bilibid Prison

The Bilibid Prison continued as the main national prison until 1941 when it was
transferred to a new site in Muntinlupa, Rizal. The old prison had become overcrowded
because prison population increased from year to year. The Prison at Azcarraga (now-Recto)
was also fast being enveloped by the modem structural expansion in the city so it was then
necessary to move the prison from the city to a suburban site.

In 1936, the City of Manila exchanged its Muntinlupa property of 552 hectares with that
of the Bureau of Prison lot in Manila. This Muntinlupa estate was originally intended as the site
of the Boys Training School but because it is far from Manila the City Government of Manila
preferred the site of the old Bilibid. The Bureau started construction of the prison in 1936.
Despite, the fact that the buildings were not yet ready, all the inmates of the Bilibid Prison in
Manila were transferred to the new site on the recommendation of the Cabinet shortly before
the outbreak of World War II. The new site occupies 552 hectares. During the war, Filipinos
who were suspected as guerrilas were sent to the New Bilibid Prison for confinement by the
Japanese Occupation Army. When Manila was liberated, Americans who were former
prisoners of war were camped in the New Bilibid Prison reservation for physical recuperation.

The Bilibid Prison is mainly - a maximum custody institution. Being the main prison, it
receives commitments from Courts of First Instance, and Criminal Circuit Courts all over the
Philippines, except those sentenced by the Courts of First Instance and Criminal Circuit Courts
of Zamboanga and Sulu who may be committed directly to the San Ramon Prison and Penal
Farm. The New Bilibid Prison has a capacity of 3,000 Prisoners. The New Bilibid Prison
operates two satellites units, namely, Bukang Liwayway Camp and Sampaguita Camp.
These two camps are located about a few hundred meters back to the New Bilibid Prison
compound. The Bukang Liwayway Camp houses 1,500 minimum-security prisoners who work
in the various projects of the institution. In Camp Sampaguita, the Reception and Diagnostic
Center, the Medium Security Unit and the Youth Rehabilitation Center is located.

The Medium Security Unit can handle a population of 700 prisoners who are employed
in the agricultural projects under guard escorts. The Youth Rehabilitation Center is capable of
accommodating a population of 500 inmates. This unit offers a special treatment and training
program for youthful tractable offenders. The New Bilibid Prison specializes in the industrial
type of vocational training. It operates a furniture shop, shoe repairing shop, blacksmith and
tinsmith shop, auto mechanics and automobile body building shop, tailoring, electronics, watch-
repairing carpentry, and rattan furniture shop. It is also engaged in track gardening, poultry,
piggery and animal husbandry. The New Bilibid Prison also offers a high school course for
prisoners who desire to complete their high school education. The school is a part of the public
high school of Rizal province. Since its establishment in 1956, the school has graduated over
three hundred inmates.

The Reception and Diagnostic Center

In 1953, the Reception and Diagnostic Center was established for diagnostic study of prisoners
for more scientific rehabilitation. The Center was opened by virtue of Administrative Order No.
11 of the Secretary of Justice. From then on the Reception and Diagnostic Center operated as
a separate institution and is housed in one building inside the Camp Sampaguita compound in
the New Bilibid Prison.

The San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm

 In 1869, the authorities saw the need of establishing one prison separate from Bilibid
for those who fought the established government. So, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in
the southern tip of Zamboanga was established for the confinement of political offenders.
During those days a rebel who was not shot was either sent to Guam or the Marianas or to
Zamboanga. The San Ramon Prison was named after its founder, Ramon Blanco, a Spanish
captain in the Royal Army. The purpose of this prison was for the segregation of political fecal
citrates that advocated for reforms but which reforms were rejected by the constituted
authorities. Thus, Dr. Jose Rizal who fought for reforms was considered an enemy of the
government and was imprisoned in Dapitan, also in Zamboanga.

The San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm has an area of 1,524.6 hectares. It houses
maximum, medium and minimum custody types of prisoners. Prisoners who are directly
committed, by the court to this prison are later sent to the Reception and Diagnostic Center in
the Central Office for study and diagnosis. San Ramon has an average population of 1,200
prisoners. The principal product of the San Ramon Prison is copra, which is one of the biggest
sources of income of the Bureau of Prisons. It also raises rice, corn, coffee, cattle and
livestock.

The Iwahig Penal Colony

On Novmber 16, 1904, Foreman R.J. Sheilds with her sixteen prisoners left the Bilibid
Prison by order of Governor Forbes who was the Secretary of Commerce and Police, to
establish the Iwahig Colonv in Palawan. The idea was hatched on the suggestion of then
Governor Luke E. Wright who envisioned it to be an institution for incorrigibles. The first
contingent, however, revolted against the authorities. They hogtied their Superintendent, Mr.
Madaras, and could have killed him were it not for the timely succor of the Philippine Scouts
stationed in Puerto Princesa. When the Philippine Commission, by virtue of Reorganization Act
1407, created the Bureau of Prisons on November 1, 1905, the authorities changed the policy
regarding Iwahig so that instead of sending incorrigibles, inmates who were well behaved and
declared tractable were assigned to this colony. Today, the Iwahig Penal Colony enjoys the
reputation of being one of the best open institutions in the World. Only mutual trust and
confidence between the wards and the prison authorities keep them together, there being no
walls.

At present, the Iwahig Penal Colony is a minimum custody or open institution. It has an
area of 36,000 hectares and an average population of 4,000 prisoners. The colony is divided
into four sub-colonies, namely: Sta. Lucia sub-colony, Inagawan sub-Colony, Montible sub-
colony and Central sub-colony. Each sub-colony operates as a small institution under the
management of a penal supervisor. T

The Iwahig Penal Colony administers the Tagumpay Settlement. The Settlement is a
1,000 hectare portion of the colony which was subdivided into 6-hectares homestead lots.
These lots are distributed to released inmates who desire to live in the settlement.

One important feature of the Iwahig Penal Colony is the privilege granted to colonists
to have their families transported to the colony at government expense and to live with them in
the colonists' village. The institution maintains various community resources such as schools,
church, recreation center, post exchange, hospital and clinics for the colonists and their
families. The colonists who have their families with them are assigned a piece of land to
cultivate and are encouraged to raise poultry and livestock for their personal use. Their
products are gold by the Colony Post Exchange. The principal products of the Iwahig Penal
Colony are rice, corn, copra, logs, minor forest products and cattle.

The Correctional Institution for Women

 In 1931, the Correctional Institution for Women was established on an 18-hectare
piece of land in Mandaluyong by authority of Act 3579, which was passed on November 27,
1929. Prior to the establishment of this institution, female prisoners were confined in one of the
wings of Bilibid Prisons. Later the position for a female superintendent was created in. 1934.
Correctional Institution for women is an institution under the Bureau of Prison, managed by the
female personnel, except the perimeter guard who are male.

The Correctional Institution for Women is the only penal institution for women in the
Philippines. It has an average inmate population of 180. The institution conducts vocational
courses in dressmaking, beauty culture, handicrafts cloth weaving and slipper making.

The Davao Penal Colony

The Davao Penal Colony was established on January 21, 1932, in accordance, with
Act No. 3732 and Proclamation No. 414, series of 1931. The first contingent of prisoners that
opened the colony was led by General Paulino Santos, its founder and the then Director of
Prisons. The area consists of 18,000 hectares, mostly devoted to abaca.

In 1942, the Davao Penal Colony was used as a concentration camp for American
prisoners of war. The former inmates were all transferred to the Inagawan sub-colony in Iwahig.
During the war, the Japanese devastated the colony, destroying its buildings, machineries and
industries. In August 1946, the colony was re-established to its former productive activity by
slow reconstruction. This institution is now the main source of income of the Bureau from its
vast abaca, banana, rice and other farm industries.

At present, the Davao Penal Colony is a combination of medium and minimum custody
type of institution. The greater portions of the prison population are medium security inmates
who live in a stockade enclosed with wires. The prisoners work in the open fields under escort
guards. The Davao PenaL Colony manages the biggest abaca plantation in the whole country.
The colony is divided into two sub-colonies, namely, the Panabo Sub-Colony and the
Kapalong sub-colony.

Each sub-colony is headed by a Penal Supervisor. The Davao Penal Colony also
raises rice, corn kenaf, copra, and cattle. It has a potential of producing rice, which will meet
the needs of the whole inmate Population of the Bureau. The colony is engaged in a joint
venture with Tagum Development Company in a 3000-hectare banana plantation for the export
of banana fruits not only to Japan but also to the Middle East countries particularly Saudi
Arabia and Egypt. The colony also operates the Tanglaw Settlement where released prisoners
of said colony are relocated as homesteaders.

The Sablayan Penal Colony and Farm

In 1954, the increase in prison population was such that there was congestion again in
the New Bilibid Prison. The New Bilibid Prison which could hold only 3,000 had a population of
6,000 prisoners in 1954. On September 27, 19S4, the President of the Philippines issued -
Proclamation No. 72 setting aside 16,000 hectares of the virgin lands in Sablayan, Occidental
Mindoro for the Sablayan Penal Colony. The first trailblazers were the experienced colony
administrators from Iwahig Penal Colony headed by the Assistant Superintendent of that colony
- Mr. Candido Bagaoisan. Sablayan Penal Colony enjoys the reputation of being the youngest
and fastest growing colony under the Bureau.
 This institution is an open or minimum-security type of institution. It has an area of
16,408.5 hectares and has an average prison population of 1,500. Rice is the principal product
of the colony. This institution is self-sufficient in rice. It also raises vegetables not only for the
use of the colony, but also for the inmates of the New Bilibid Prison.