Bill to lower educational requirement for PNP applicants
Bill to lower educational requirement for PNP applicants
The
House
Bill No. 5746 filed by MAGDALO Party-list
Representative Manuel DG. Cabochan III, seeks to amend Section 14 and 15 of RA
8551 and lower the educational
requirement for police applicants. This intends to solve the problems of
having insufficient police force, and also, making the requirement process for
police officers and non-officers to be more inclusive.
Under
Republic Act No. 8551, or
the Philippine National Police Reform and
Reorganization Act of 1998, only college graduates are allowed to enter the
police force and be part of the PNP organization. This particular provision
presents downsides on the pool of applicants that could be recruited and on the
force organization of the PNP. Since only college graduates are qualified to
join the police force, many undergraduates applicants are stripped of the
countrymen. A considerable section of the population is no longer eligible,
therefore, affecting the small number of applicants that could be recruited.
The
existing police force is not sufficient to cover all functions. A whole lot of
personnel are needed, in particular, for maneuver units. Then, it would be
favorable solution allow recruitment of undergraduate applicants. Moreover,
this would level the playing field for individuals who are underprivileged and
cannot afford to go to college.
Maneuver units are tactical in nature. Usually, such units are engaged in internal
security operations, crowd control and disaster response. Having 72 collegiate
units, along with necessary rigorous training upon recruitment, would already be enough to acquire the basic competencies needed.
However,
the Civil Service Commission (CSC) warned that
accepting non-baccalaureate degree holders would run contrary to the
government’s goal to professionalize the PNP.
SOURCE:
http://www.congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/basic_18/HB05746