BUREAU of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. has ordered the modification of the bureau's training courses to attract more applicants.

Catapang said recruits' training will be shortened from six months to one and a half months, or 45 days. Tedious physical activities will also be lessened.

Applicants will no longer be required to have military-type haircuts.

He said salaries for technical positions range from P29,668 to P91,058 per month.

Catapang said BuCor was experiencing a shortage of medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, teachers, guidance counselors, priests, and other technical professionals.

He said that currently, there is only one doctor per 5,371 inmates, compared to the ideal ratio of one is to 700 per population.

Catapang said the situation would likely worsen with the retirement of one of the 10 BuCor doctors by the end of this year.