The Philippine National Prison’s Therapeutic Community Center

The WORLD FEDERATION OF THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES (WFTC) Organizing Committee had chosen this submitted abstract to be presented on its conference on September 1-5,2006 in New York, USA

XXIII WORLD CONFERENCE
WFTC – Continuing the Journey
September 1-5, 2006

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
Presentation Title:

The Philippine National Prison’s Therapeutic Community Center
… “Doing More with Less “

Presentation Best Relates To:
Thematic Area- Evolution of the modern TC: Populations, Settings and Issues
Diversified TC treatment settings – IN PRISON TCs

Abstract:

Anchored on the twin mandates of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) towards effective safekeeping and rehabilitation of inmates, the BuCor Therapeutic Community Center (TCC) represents a totally new, innovative approach towards rehabilitation in a prison environment.

A holistic approach covering both ethical and moral boundaries, it restores the individual drug offender to a physically, psychologically and socially adapted person armed with employable skills necessary for his eventual re-emergence to the free community.

Operating against the backdrop of budget constraints, limited personnel, material and financial resources, the Center has grown over the years to become a fully-operational prison-based residential rehabilitation center. More importantly, it has achieved a reasonable level of success, with 62.5% of those released leading positive lives over a 6-year period.

Its novel structure encourages and fosters individual growth, empowering the inmates themselves to help and lift one another in a family atmosphere. Through this process, the TC program is reengineered, resulting in remarkable institutional and individual growth in spite of resource limitations.

The Therapeutic Community Center has in effect actualized the core theme of the Bureau of Corrections – that of “Doing More with Less through Effective Rehabilitation Programs”. With the ever-increasing inmate population coupled with limited resources, the Center is tasked to address these daunting challenges in an effective and sustained manner, in noble pursuit of its mission and vision beyond the millennium.

Author Information:

Name : EDILINDA GARCIA-PATAC, M.D., M.H.S.A.
Job Title : Chief, Reception and Diagnostic Center
Chief Executive Officer – Therapeutic Community Center,
BuCor
Head, Muntinlupa Juvenile Training Center
Acting Medical Coordinator , BuCor
Chairperson, Bids and Awards Committee
BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS

Street Address: Bureau of Corrections
Reception and Diagnostic Center
Camp Sampaguita
1776 Muntinlupa City
Country : Philippines