Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 7) – The Senate approved on third and final reading a bill which seeks to adjust the height requirements for cops and other uniformed personnel.
With 23-0 votes, Senate Bill No. 1563 or the proposed “PNP, BFP, BJMP and BuCor Height Equality Act,” aims to repeal the existing height requirements for applicants in the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Corrections.
Under the proposed measure, female applicants must be at least 1.52 meters (5’0”) and male applicants should stand at least 1.57 meters (5’2”).
The existing law provides that men and women need to be at least 1.62 meters (5’4”) and 1.57 meters (5’2”) tall, respectively.
Further, the bill also provides that applicants belonging to cultural communities or indigenous people may be granted waiver for the height requirement.
Former PNP chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, one of the proponents of the measure, said during the plenary session that the proposed measure will give opportunity to Filipinos of short stature to be part of the law enforcement.
Meanwhile, Senator Pia Cayetano suggested that PNP and other law enforcement agencies to look into feeding programs. She said that nutritional intervention could be done on stunted growth.
