The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Corrections (BUCOR) will formally launch the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 10575, otherwise known as the “The Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013” tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 12, 9 o'clock in the morning, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Pedro Gil corner M.H. Del Pilar, Manila.
The much anticipated IRR, painstakingly crafted through the combined efforts of the DOJ, Bureau of Corrections, Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Finance (DOF) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM), seek to operationalize the mandate of the law to provide for the modernization, professionalization and restructuring of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) by upgrading its facilities, increasing the number of its personnel, upgrading the level of qualifications of their personnel, and standardizing their base pay, retirement and other benefits.
With this development, the passage of the said rules and regulations is believed to bridge some of the gaps that hamper the development of the prison system, specifically the spate of alleged irregularities that hound the national penitentiary.
“It is no secret that the running of the various prisons and penal farms all over the country is, by itself, not an easy task. However, the difficulties of properly managing and operating such facilities have been made exponentially more challenging given the outdated organizational structure, facilities and staffing pattern that the BuCor has been working with thus far,” said Secretary Leila M. De Lima.
“With the passage of the law and the promulgation of the IRR, the BuCor now has the flexibility to adjust its facilities, manpower and other resources to meet the changing and growing needs of our corrections system, and to adequately and fairly compensate its personnel who meet the professionalization standards set forth in the law. Thus, we have little doubt that these changes will go a long way towards solving some of the endemic problems in our penal facilities, as well as in improving our track record for successfully rehabilitating and preparing our inmates for future reintegration to society as productive citizens. After all, the law and these IRR are for the common benefit of those serving in the BuCor and the inmates serving their time in its facilities.”
Expected to attend the occasion are officials of the DOJ, BuCor, CSC, DOF and DBM and colleagues from the government involved in the pillars of the justice system, as well as members of the Legislature which made the enactment of the law possible.
