By Vanne Terrazola
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is pushing to scrap the height requirement for aspiring policemen, firemen and jail officers.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri (Senator Miguel Zubiri's Official Facebook Page / MANILA BULLETIN)
Zubiri filed Senate Bill 312, or the proposed Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Equality Act, to repeal the minimum height requirement for applicants of these agencies.
In the measure, the Senate majority leader lamented the discrimination of those who wanted to serve in the PNP, BFP, and BJMP because of the preference for taller people.
Under Section 30 of the Republic Act 6975 or the Department of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990 as amended by RA 8551, PNP applicants must be at least 1.62 meters in height (5'4") for male and 1.57 meters (5'2") for female.
"This imposes undue restrictions to those competent to serve in said agencies but do not meet the said qualification," Zubiri said in his bill.
"The prejudice against height is counteractive to the benefit of the nation. Those willing to serve should be given the chance to prove whether they indeed possess the necessary physical prowess, intellect, drive, and potential for the said positions," he added.
Aside from the PNP's minimum qualification, SB 312 also seeks to amend parts of the RA 8551 and RA 9263 or the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Professionalization Act of 2004, as amended by RA 9592, "insofar as these provisions refer to any height requirement, to give effect to the mandated repeal of the height requirement for applicants."
The proposal to lower the height requirement hurdled 16th Congress in 2013 when members of the Senate and the House of Representatives agreed to lower the requirement of uniformed personnel to 1.57 meters or 5 feet for men, and 1.42 meters or 4'7" for women.
But President Benigno Aquino III vetoed the measure. He said this was "unnecessary" since the agencies can waive the height requirement for applicants with special qualifications, such as those belonging to the cultural communities.
In 2018, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) removed the height requirement for those who would want to take the PNP entrance exam. However, it cannot remove the height requirement for police recruitment because this was mandated by the law that established the PNP.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri (Senator Miguel Zubiri's Official Facebook Page / MANILA BULLETIN)
Zubiri filed Senate Bill 312, or the proposed Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Equality Act, to repeal the minimum height requirement for applicants of these agencies.
In the measure, the Senate majority leader lamented the discrimination of those who wanted to serve in the PNP, BFP, and BJMP because of the preference for taller people.
Under Section 30 of the Republic Act 6975 or the Department of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990 as amended by RA 8551, PNP applicants must be at least 1.62 meters in height (5'4") for male and 1.57 meters (5'2") for female.
"This imposes undue restrictions to those competent to serve in said agencies but do not meet the said qualification," Zubiri said in his bill.
"The prejudice against height is counteractive to the benefit of the nation. Those willing to serve should be given the chance to prove whether they indeed possess the necessary physical prowess, intellect, drive, and potential for the said positions," he added.
Aside from the PNP's minimum qualification, SB 312 also seeks to amend parts of the RA 8551 and RA 9263 or the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Professionalization Act of 2004, as amended by RA 9592, "insofar as these provisions refer to any height requirement, to give effect to the mandated repeal of the height requirement for applicants."
The proposal to lower the height requirement hurdled 16th Congress in 2013 when members of the Senate and the House of Representatives agreed to lower the requirement of uniformed personnel to 1.57 meters or 5 feet for men, and 1.42 meters or 4'7" for women.
But President Benigno Aquino III vetoed the measure. He said this was "unnecessary" since the agencies can waive the height requirement for applicants with special qualifications, such as those belonging to the cultural communities.
In 2018, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) removed the height requirement for those who would want to take the PNP entrance exam. However, it cannot remove the height requirement for police recruitment because this was mandated by the law that established the PNP.