(Eagle News)–The Philippine National Police has welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of a new law that lowered the height requirement for policemen and other uniformed personnel.
In welcoming President Duterte’s signing of Republic Act No. 11549 or the PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Corrections Equality Act, PNP Chief General Guillermo Eleazar said he shares the view of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, that police service to the nation cannot be measured by height.
Under the law, the minimum height requirement for the applicants of those agencies was now 1.57 meters or 5-feet, 2 inches for males, and 1.52 meters or 5-feet for females.
The law, which the President signed on May 26, would in effect amend Republic Act No. 6975, which pegged the minimum height requirement for applicants at 1.62 meters or 5’4″ for men, and 1.57 meters or 5’2″ for women.
According to Eleazar, what matters instead is a person’s well-meaning service to the nation.
He said the PNP would seek guidance from the National Police Commission on how to go about applying the new law.
Nonetheless, he said he
has instructed police personnel to provide the necessary QR codes to police applicants who meet the new minumum height requirement.
“Tutal ay online naman ang ating application, yung mga gustong mag-apply pa na yung height ay pasok sa bagong minimum height requirement na 5’2” sa mga lalaki at 5.0 feet sa mga babae, welcome po kayo at ipo-proseso naming ang inyong application (Our application is online so those who wish to apply and who meet the minimum height requirements of 5.2″ for men and 5.0 feet for women, you are welcome to do so. We will process your application,” he said.
The PNP has said it was eyeing 17,000 recruits this year.