The Bureau of Corrections ( BuCor) is currently in talks with investors reportedly interested in developing parts of the Iwahig correction facility as an agro-aqua food production hub.
Director General Gregorio Catapang, Jr., said that the production hub will support food usage not just in Puerto Princesa but also in Palawan.
He said that will utilize the transferred persons deprived of Liberty (PDLs) in agricultural activities such as planting coconut trees. The initial batch consists of 500 PDLs out of target 2,500 to be transferred from National Bilibid Prison and Correctional Institution for Women.
During his visit in April, he also worked with the Department of Agriculture to identify possible areas for food production. It will be used to grow unhusked rice or palay, vegetables, corn, caffeine, coconut, coffee, cacao, and even cattle.
The IPPF has a total area of 28,000 hectares covered by its four sub-colonies in Iwahig, Montible, Sta. Lucia and Inagawan.
The planting efforts will help to recover mountains in the penal prison particularly the ecological balance of Palawan, he said.
Aside from converting IPPF as agro-aqua hub, Catapang also commits to re-establish ownership in penal prison’s land properties particularly those have been illegally occupied.
“Kailangan namin ire-establish ang ownership. Kakausapin namin kasi may batas kami, RA 10575, empowers us to recover all the lands na kinuha sa Amin na hindi naman kinukuha,” he said.
