Manila, Philippines – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed Republic Act (RA) 11549 lowering the height requirement for applicants in the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
The height requirements are now lowered from 1.62 meters to 1.57 meters for male applicants while from 1.57 meters to 1.52 meters for female applicants.
The bill also provides that a height waiver will be automatically granted to the applicants who belongs to the cultural communities or any indigenous group.
20210526-RA-11549-RRD by ジョナタン アピゴ
According to the RA 11549 under Section 11 of the RA 10575, the BuCor applicant must not be less than twenty (21) years old or more than forty (40) years old to be qualified.
Under Section 5 of the RA 11549, Implementing Rules and Regulation, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are in charge to promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to implement the new law within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.
The DILG and DOJ are also mandated to coordinate with the Civil Service Commission, the National Police Commission, the PNP, BFP, BJMP, and BuCor for the implementation per se’.
Two senators welcomed the newly approved law on lowering the height requirement for applying in law enforcement authorities. According to them, the bill would give more opportunities for our fellow Filipinos who want to serve the country.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, one of the measure’s principal authors of the bill said many of the Filipinos were happy to pass the Height Equality Act so they could serve in our country despite of their height.
To quote,
Napakarami nating kababayan na gustong-gustong maglingkod bilang pulis o bumbero na hindi madadaling trabaho, pero nahaharang po sa application pa lang dahil kinapos lang ng kaunti sa height.
“Kaya isinulong talaga natin itong batas na ito para mabigyan sila ng pagkakataong maglingkod sa bayan,” he added.
A former PNP chief Bato Dela Rosa emphasized the importance of lowering the height requirements.
To quote,
Let me assure all Filipinos that this law only lowered the height requirement and not the competence. Every new applicant benefiting from this law shall still be subjected to the highest standards required to be a member of the PNP, BFP, BJMP, and BuCor
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