PNP blinks as cops protest BMI as mandatory requirement for promotion
For some policemen especially those who fall under the obese description, weight reduction as a mandatory policy for promotion was ill-timed and discriminatory.
The voluminous request letter and even a legal action from the ‘discriminated’ cops forced the Directorate for Personnel Records and Management (DPRM) to recommend for the suspension of the Body Mass Index as a mandatory requirement for promotion of its uniformed personnel.
“Pursuant to our mandate of ‘Personnel Welfare is Above All’, this Directorate respectfully recommends the suspension of the implementation of BMI as a requirement for promotion amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the conduct of review of the policy to address both the concern of the organization and the welfare of our personnel,” the Memorandum signed by DPRM Director, Police Maj. Gen. Rolando Hinanay read.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women, according to local the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Using the metric system, it is computed via dividing a person’s weight expressed in kilogram by a person’s height in meters squared (or multiplying the height by itself), or BMI= kg/m².
According to the experts, a BMI less than 18.5 is considered as underweight while those between 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI between 25-29.9 is considered overweight while those who has more than 30 BMI are considered obese.
In citing COVID-19 as the reason, Hinanay explained that gradual reduction of weight is important for obese personnel since any move to hasten the weight reduction just to comply with the BMI requirements may put the concerned PNP personnel at risk.
He added that the current situation in the country wherein the conduct of physical activities are limited due to observation of minimum public health safety protocol only prevents concerned PNP personnel from achieving their goal.
“Apart from it, personnel who are assigned in the lower units are struggling from achieving the same due to the work schedule in the exigency of the service and the fight against COVID-19,” the Memorandum read.
The inclusion of the BMI as a mandatory requirement for promotion was embodied on the PNP Memorandum Circular 2020-029 which was implemented last year.