Histotical Background
Chapter 1: The Pre-colonial and Spanish Regimes:
Chapter 2: The American and Commonwealth Governments:
Chapter 3: Transfer of the Old Bilibid to Muntinlupa:
Chapter 4: Developments After WWII
Chapter 5: Birth of the Reception and Diagnostic Center
Chapter 6: Non-Operational National Prisons

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

      The country’s penal institution started during the Spanish Regime when Spanish penal laws contained in royal decrees, ordinances, rules and regulations were extended to the country. The main insular penitentiary was the Old Bilibid Prison in Manila constructed in 1847 and formally opened by a Royal Decree in 1865. The San Ramon Prison in Zamboanga City was next established in 1869, originally to confine Muslim rebels, but was closed during the Spanish-American War, and reopened in 1898. Under the American Regime, the Iwahig Penal Colony (formerly called Iuhit Penal Colony) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan was established in 1904.

      Eventually, the Bureau of Prisons was created under Reorganization Act of 1905 effective November 1 1905 under the Department of Commerce & Police, and then transferred to the Department of Public Instruction. The Prison Law which was enacted pursuant to the provisions of Sec. 1705-1751 of the Administrative Code of 1917 finally placed the Bureau of Prisons under the Department of Justice.

      Due to increasing inmate population, more prisons and penal colonies were created and placed under the supervision of the Bureau of Prisons, namely: the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong, Rizal established in 1931 by authority of Act No. 3579 purposely to confine female national offenders; the Davao Penal Colony on January 21, 1932 in accordance with Act No. 3732 and Proclamation 414 series of 1931. The Old Bilibid Prison was transferred to Muntinlupa in 1935 and renamed the New Bilibid Prison in 1940. The Sablayan Penal Colony in Mindoro Occidental was established on September 27, 1954 under Proclamation 72 and the Leyte Regional Prison on January 16, 1973 under Proclamation 1101. With the approval of PD 28 on October 25, 1972 which established the regional prisons, all existing national penal institutions were converted into regular prisons and penal farms.

      To emphasize the new trend in modern penology, the Bureau of Prisons was renamed Bureau of Corrections pursuant to Executive Order No. 292 dated November 22, 1989. BuCor celebrated its centennial year in November 2005.