GROUP 5

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PENAL SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES

&
THE SEVEN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES OF BUCOR

SUBMITTED TO:
● JOVITO Q. MADRIAGA III

SUBMITTED BY:
● SANGLITAN, GLEZYLEE A.
● LAPECIROS, DANDAN E.
● ARNAIZ. KENNETH BRIAN C.
● CABATINGAN, JAYMAR
● BARONDA, RENZ REGOR C.
● COSTAMERO, TEODULO JR. M.
● CHUMACERA, JASPER RYAN S.
● ADOLFO, FRANCIS
● VIDAURRETA, BARRY
● CERILO, JUNIEL M.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PENAL SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES

The establishment of prisons in the philippines was formally started during the Spanish regime when
Spanish penal laws contained in royal decrees, ordinances, rules and regulations were extended to the
country.

1847 - the Old Bilibid Prison has been operational, main insular penitentiary was constructed and
formally opened by a Royal Decree in 1865.

CARCEL Y PRESIDIO CORRECTIONAL was erected at Mayhaligi St., in Sta. Cruz,

Manila is now the present site of MANILA CITY JAIL. Insular prisoners were subjected to all
forms of punishment and many prisoners died after a few months of detention.

1869 - SAN RAMON PRISON AND PENAL FARM in Zamboanga City which was named after the
patron Saint of its founder Ramon Blanco was established primarily to confine political
offenders.

1898 - San Ramon Prison was closed during the Spanish - American War.
- American tried to correct the system by introducing some techniques of handling offenders
humanely.

November 16, 1904 - IWAHIG PENAL COLONY in Palawan was established with 16 prisoners
sailed for Palawan to start building the colony thereat on orders of Governor Forbes, then
the incumbent Secretary of Commerce and Police.

1904 - The San Ramon was reopened.

The Reorganization Act of 1905 created the Bureau of Prisons under the Department of Commerce
and Police, then transferred to the Department of Public Instruction and finally placed under Department of
Justice. The three (3) prisons and penal colonies, Old Bilibid, San Ramon, and Iwahig were placed under the
Bureau of Prisons jurisdiction including the Corregidor Stockade and the Bontoc Prison, which was later,
phased out of use.

1916 - proposed Correctional Code was enacted and introduced leniency for convicted prisoners.

1924 - Commonwealth Act No. 3203 established the Reformatory for Boys and Girls.

November 27, 1929 - CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN in Mandaluyong , Rizal was
established by authority of Act No. 3579.
January 21, 1932 - DAVAO PENAL COLONY was established in accordance with Act No. 3732
and Proclamation 414 Series of 1931.

1941 - prisoners from the Old Bilibid Prison was transferred to its present site in Muntinlupa and
renamed the New Bilibid Prison which was later became the main Insular Prison.

Under the Philippine Republic after World War II, two (2) more prisons were created to decongest the
over-crowded condition of the New Bilibid Prison. These are:
1. SABLAYAN PENAL COLONY in Occidental Mindoro which was established on September 27,
1954; and
2. LEYTE REGIONAL PRISON in Abuyog, Leyte which was established on January 16, 1973.

THE SEVEN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES OF BUCOR

NEW BILIBID PRISON

Location: Muntinlupa City

Date Established: 1941
Land Area: 551 hectares
Capacity: 6,435
Population: 30,701 PDL (as of June 2023)
Livelihood Program: 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. Also engaged in track gardening, poultry,
piggery and animal husbandry.

The Old Bilibid Prison, then known as Carcel y Presidio Correccional (Correctional Jail and Military Prison)
occupied a rectangular piece of land which was part of the Mayhalique Estate in the heart of Manila. The old
prison was established on June 25, 1865 under a Spanish royal decree. It is divided into two sections the
Carcel Section which could accommodate 600 inmates and the Presidio, which could accommodate 527
prisoners. Due to increasing crime, the Philippine Government enacted Commonwealth Act No. 67 and a new
prison was built in Muntinlupa on 551 hectares of land in an area considered at that time to be “remote”.
Constructed began in 1936 with a budget of 1 million pesos. In 1940, the prisoners, equipment and facilities
were transferred to the new prison. The remnants of the old facility was used by the City of Manila as its
detention center then known as Manila City Jail. In 1941 the new facility was officially named “The New Bilibid
Prison”.
Has three (3) Security Camps:
● Main Building (Maximum Security Compound)
● Camp Sampaguita (Medium Security Compound)
● Camp Bukang Liwayway (Minimum Security Compound)

CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN

Location: Mandaluyong City

Date Established: 1931
Land Area: 15 or 18 hectares
Capacity: 1,008
Population: 3,345 PDL (as of June 2023)
Vocational Activities: Dressmaking, beauty culture, handicrafts, cloth weaving and slipper making.
Livelihood Program: It includes poultry and piggery as well as cultivation of crops, flowers and fruits.

The Correctional Institution for Women was born via the signing of Act No. 3579 on November 27,
1929, where it authorized the transfer of all women inmates to a building in Welfareville at
Mandaluyong, Rizal. On February 14, 1931, the women prisoners were transferred from the Old
Bilibid Prison to the building especially constructed for them. Its old name, “Women’s Prison”, was
changed to “Correctional Institution for Women”.

IWAHIG PRISON AND PENAL FARM

Location: Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Date Established: November 16, 1904
Land Area: 34,295 hectares
Capacity: 675
Population: 2,462 PDL (as of 2023)
Principal Products: rice, corn, copra, logs, minor forest products and cattle.

The facility was known as “The Prison Without Walls” and 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. The American military carved out a
prison facility in the rainforest of Puerto Princesa. Governor Luke Wright authorized the establishment
of the penal colony on November 16, 1904 and its first Superintendent was Lt. George Wolfe, a
member of the U.S. expeditionary force.
Has four (4) sub-colonies:
● Central Sub-Colony
● Sta. Lucia Sub-Colony
● Montible Sub-Colony
● Inagawan Sub-colony
SABLAYAN PRISON AND PENAL FARM

Location: Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro

Date Established: September 27, 1954
Land Area: 16,190 hectares
Capacity: 994
Population: 2,452 PDL (as of 2023)
Principal Product: rice and vegetables crops

In 1954, the increase in prison population was such that there was congestion again in the New Bilibid
Prison which could hold only 3,000 had a population of 6,000 prisoners in 1954. On September 27,
1954, the President of the Philippines issued Proclamation No. 72 setting aside 16,000 hectares in
Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. The first trail blazers were the experienced colony administrators from
Iwahig Penal Colony who enjoy the reputation of being the youngest and fastest growing colony under
the Bureau. This institution is an open or minimum security type of institution.

Has four (4) Sub-Colonies:

● Central Sub-colony
● Pusog Sub-colony
● Pasugui Sub-colony
● Yapang Sub-colony

SAN RAMON PRISON AND PENAL FARM

Location: Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur

Date Established: 1870
Land Area: 1,026 hectares
Capacity: 733
Population: 2,742 PDL (as of 2023)
Principal Product: rice, copra and coffee

Founded by Captain Ramon Blanco in Zamboanga del Sur, a member of the Spanish Royal Army and
named the prison facility after his patron saint. This was initially intended for the confinement of
Political Prisoners during the Spanish era. It was closed during the Spanish-American War and was
reopened during the American occupation. On August 21, 1869, the San Ramon Prison and Penal
Farm in Zamboanga City were 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.
DAVAO PRISON AND PENAL FARM

Location: Panabo, Davao del Norte

Date Established: January 21, 1932
Land Area: 5,932 hectares
Capacity: 1,499
Population: 6,788 PDL (as of 2023)
Livelihood Program: BIggest Banana and Abaca Plantation
rice, copra ,cattle and other farm product

Davao Prison and Penal Farm, formerly the Davao Penal Colony (DaPeCol), was established on
January 21, 1932 by virtue of Act No. 3732. THis act authorized the Governor-General to lease or sell
the lands, buildings and improvements in San Ramon Prison and Iwahig Penal Colony. During World
War II, the Davao Penal Colony was the biggest prison establishment in the country and it was
converted into a concentration camp which was used by the 1,000 Japanese internees who were
committed to the Philippine-American Armed Forces.

Has two (2) Sub-Colonies:

● Panabo Sub-colony
● Kapalong Sub-colony

LEYTE REGIONAL PRISON

Location: Abuyog, Leyte

Date Established: January 16, 1972
Land Area: 861 hectares
Capacity: 679
Population: 2,519 PDL (as of 2023)
Livelihood Program:

The Leyte Regional Prison was created by virtue of P.D. No. 28 and was established on January 16,
1973 under Presidential Decree No. 1101. It was established after 1 year of the declaration of Martial
Law under the regime of the late President Marcos Sr. It was built to receive, confine, secure and
rehabilitate convicted criminals classified as national prisoners. Also, it was the youngest among the
Bureau of Corrections’s Penal Colonies.

Composed of two (2) communities:

● Enclosed Community
● Open Community