BuCor short of medical, technical personnel

THE Bureau of Correction yesterday said it has only one doctor per 5, 371 inmates, and the problem is set to get worse with the impending retirement of one of its 10 full-time doctors this year.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the agency is currently experiencing shortages not on-ly of doctors but also of nurses, pharmacists, guidance counselors, and even of teachers and priests to take care of the medical, physical and spiritual well-being of inmates in the New Bilibid Prison and six other operating prison and penal farms nationwide.

Aside from the NBP, the agency also supervises the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, Davao Prison and Penal Farm, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Mindoro Occidental, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, and the Leyte Sub-Regional Prison in Abuyog, Southern Leyte.

Catapang said the ideal ratio is one doctor per 700 inmates.

“The gap will be aggravated with the impending retirement of one out of the 10 doctors in the service by the end of this year, and two more to retire by next year,” he said.

“Natatakot kasi ang mga applikante na mag apply sa BuCor kasi takot sila sa physical training, at syempre ayaw nila mag pa hair cut (Applicants are afraid because of the BuCor physical training and the hair cut regulation),” he added.

At present, the NBP and the six other prison and penal farms of the BuCor has in its custody 52,113 in-mates, of which 28,892 are in the national penitentiary though it has only a maximum capacity of 9,885.

To remedy the situation, Catapang said the BuCor will make some adjustments for applicants with highly technical qualifications by shortening to 45 days the current six months training, and limit this to an ex-ecutive training course without tedious physical activities.

The training, according to Catapang, will be limited to orient applicants on BuCor mandates, missions, vision as well as discussions on prison rules and regulations, duties and responsibilities of their ranks, including the regimented nature of work under the uniformed service, among others.

With regards to the hair cut regulation, Catapang said they