Government to privatize New Bilibid Prison

President Arroyo revealed yesterday her plan to privatize the 400-hectare New Bilibid Prison (NBP) compound in Muntinlupa City and transfer the national penitentiary to Tanay, Rizal.

"Three hundred hectares of the NBP would be privatized while the remaining 100 would be allotted for housing for Muntinlupa residents," Mrs. Arroyo announced during a dialogue with some 300 urban poor residents in West Kabulusan along the Pasong Diablo River in Alabang .

She is set to issue an executive order allocating 50 of NBP’s 100-hectare property to socialized housing and added another five hectares for the housing needs of some 1,000 Pasong Diablo families.

The President allocated the first 50 hectares, which would benefit some 13,000 urban poor residents of Muntinlupa, in a previous visit.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon said the idea of transferring the prison has been raised several times in the past but it was the first time the President made a policy statement on the subject.

Biazon said the NBP privatization would generate funds for certain administration projects with some of the proceeds going to the proposed housing program.

"There’s a large part of the NBP that remains idle and the President wants to put it to good use," Biazon said.

Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, for his part, said the NBP privatization would help generate funds that could help expand light industries in the city.

"The plan would be good for light industries," Fresnedi said.

But the mayor added he would also take up concerns that would likely be raised by NBP’s 300 employees, most of whom are Muntinlupa residents.

"They might end up blaming the local government for the transfer but they should understand that it is a national decision," he said, adding the employees may also be included in the socialized housing project.