1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, ERIC G. YAP, 
and EDVIC G. YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution vehemently opposes the use of substandard or inadequate 
penal facilities under subhuman conditions. Despite the said mandate, there are only 
seven (7) existing correctional facilities in the country which are under the jurisdiction 
of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), namely: The New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa 
City; The Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City; Iwahig 
Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Sablayan Prison and Penal 
Farm in Occidental Mindoro; San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City; 
Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte; and Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo, 
Davao Province.  
Notwithstanding these seven (7) correction facilities spread across the country, 
congested prisons are still among the pertinent issues faced by the country’s justice 
system. In fact, the World Prison Brief still named the Philippines as “the most 
overcrowded prison system in the world” with 215,000 prisoners overfilling the jails 
and prisons more than five times the jail or prison’s official capacity. Moreover, many 
of the country’s jails fail to meet the minimum United Nations standards given the 
jails’ cases of inadequate food, poor nutrition and unsanitary conditions, according to 
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 
It is due to this long-term neglect of the country’s prisoners that this bill seeks to 
establish and operate additional penal farms in regions I, II, III, V, VI, VIII, IX, X, XII, 
XIII, and CAR, thereby decongesting existing penal institutions in the country, 
accommodating the increasing number of inmates committed to the BuCor, and 
giving due credence to the right to decent accommodations of the country’s prisoners. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
       ERIC G. YAP 
EDVIC G. YAP         
May 11, 2023
9:04 am
8071


1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, ERIC G. YAP, 
and EDVIC G. YAP 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING PENITENTIARY SYSTEMS IN REGIONS I, II, III, V, VI, VIII, 
IX, X, XII, XIII, AND CAR TO DECONGEST THE NEW BILIBID PRISON (NBP) 
AND OTHER PENAL FARMS AND PROVINCES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Regional 
Penitentiaries Act.". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Section 5 of Article II states that “[t]he 
maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and the 
promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of 
the blessings of democracy.” 
It is the policy of the State to value human dignity and guarantee full respect 
for human rights regardless of any wrongful act or omission done. The State likewise 
adopts the mandate under Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that 
“no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or 
punishment.” Among others, an adequate standard of living for our prisoners, 
including decent accommodations, is considered a human right. 
SEC. 3. Creation of Regional Penal Farms. - The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) 
shall establish and operate additional penal farms in regions I, II, III, V, VI, VIII, IX, X, 
XII, XIII, and CAR to decongest existing penal institutions and accommodate the 
increasing number of inmates committed to the agency. 
SEC. 4. Facilities. - Each penal farm established pursuant to this Act shall 
operate with standard and uniform design of prison facilities, reformation facilities, 
and administrative facilities, such as the following: 
a. Dormitory;
8071


 
2 
b. Administration building; 
c. Perimeter/Security fences; 
d. Hospital/Infirmary; 
e. Recreation/Multipurpose hall; 
f. Training/Lecture center; 
g. Workshop facility; 
h. Mess hall/kitchen; 
i. Visiting area; 
j. Water tank and pump; 
k. Reception and diagnostic center; 
l. Service personnel facilities; and 
m. Other structures deemed relevant to the operations of jail facilities. 
 
SEC. 5. Roles and Functions of the BuCor. - The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) 
is hereby mandated to: 
 
a. Create an Infrastructure Plan which shall begin not later than six (6) months 
from the effectivity of this Act, to be completed not later than five (5) years 
from the effectivity of this Act; 
 
b. Coordinate the construction of regional penitentiaries, whenever necessary, 
with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the 
Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government units 
concerned, and such other concerned government agencies; 
 
c. Carry out the decentralization and transfer of prisoners incarcerated in the 
national penitentiaries to regional penal farms, including the performance 
and coordination of all tasks and activities, pursuant to this Act; and 
 
d. Ensure the implementation of the provisions stipulated in this Act. 
 
SEC. 6. Determination of Budgetary Requirements. - For the foregoing 
purpose, the DOJ, DBM, and DPWH are mandated to determine the budgetary 
requirements for the establishment of the aforementioned regional penal farms. 
Within six (6) months from the date of effectivity of this Act, the DOJ, DBM, and the 
DPWH shall jointly report to Congress on such budgetary requirements. 
 
SEC. 7. Appropriations. - Such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof shall remain in full force and 
effect. 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, or modified 
accordingly. 
 


 
3 
SEC. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,