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Regionalization of penitentiaries urged: Sen. Robinhood C. Padilla, during the deliberations on the proposed 2023 budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday, November 10, 2022, pushed anew for the regionalization of penal institutions to decongest the overcrowded prisons in the country, including the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City; as well as to eradicate drug syndicates that have been operating inside the national penitentiary. “This is a concrete solution to help the DOJ in its effort to decongest and eliminate big time drug syndicates inside the NBP. I believe this proposed regionalization will also address the prisoners’ rehabilitation drive of the justice department and bring prisoners near again to their respective families,” Padilla said in Filipino. In response, Sen. Sonny Angara, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, said the DOJ agreed to the proposed regionalization and will include the proposal in its 2024 budget as it studies the issue in further detail. Padilla has filed a bill which seeks to set up penitentiary systems in at least 10 regions. Under the bill, penal farms will be established in every region across the country. (Albert Calvelo/Senate PRIB)