Manila, Oct. 23 -- The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is asking Congress to double the medical allowance of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from PHP15 to PHP30 per PDL per day.

In a news release on Thursday, the BuCor said Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. made the appeal to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, during the hearing on the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Justice and its attached agencies last Tuesday.

Catapang underscored the need to increase the medical allowance of PDL, underscoring the necessity of enhancing healthcare provisions within the correctional facilities.

Catapang also told Gatchalian that they are also proposing a medical parole bill aimed at institutionaliz...