Some of the country’s largest property developers are signaling early interest in what could emerge as one of Metro Manila’s biggest urban redevelopment projects: the transformation of portions of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) reservation in Muntinlupa into a mixed-use commercial and residential district.
Representatives from Robinsons Land Corp., DoubleDragon Corp., SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Solaire Properties, Asian Center Entrepreneurship and Real Estate and New San Jose Builders, Inc. attended the Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) recent market sounding exercise, underscoring growing private sector appetite for the massive redevelopment opportunity in southern Metro Manila.
The consultation, organized by BuCor with support from the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines, was aimed at engaging potential investors ahead of the planned transfer of the NBP facility by 2028.
Officials presented initial redevelopment concepts and explored possible frameworks for private sector participation.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said discussions focused on a 160-hectare portion of the prison property earmarked for commercial leasing, as well as another 106 hectares being considered for possible public-private partnership or joint venture arrangements.
Catapang emphasized that the government would retain ownership of the land through long-term lease agreements rather than outright sales, addressing concerns over the disposition of state assets.
“The arrangement will be structured as a commercialized long-term lease with all improvements made on the property remaining the sole property of BuCor,” he said.
Revenue generated from the redevelopment is expected to help fund BuCor’s broader modernization agenda, including prison decongestion efforts, infrastructure upgrades, rehabilitation and reformation programs for persons deprived of liberty, and capability-building initiatives for personnel.
If realized, the project could reshape a significant portion of Muntinlupa and unlock substantial investment activity in the south of Metro Manila.
