Dela Rosa: Sponsorship Speech Committee Report NO. 112 Senate Bill No. 1833 - Rank Classification BFP BJMP

Peter Drucker, one of the most widely-known and influential thinkers in management, once said, "Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility."

Mr. President, my distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

As Chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, it is my honor to report back to this august chamber Committee Report No. 112, containing Senate Bill No. 1833, in substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 415 of Senators Lacson and Villanueva, 1101 of this representation and 1201 of Senator Revilla. The measures seek to provide for the rank classification and organization of key positions in the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), amending for the purpose R.A. 9263 otherwise known as the "Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Professionalization Act of 2004", as amended by R.A. 9592.

During the 17th Congress, a similar measure was passed by this body and was enacted into law on February 8, 2019 - Republic Act No. 11200. It was a response to the appeal of the law enforcement community to standardize their ranks. The law provided for the new PNP rank classification for the purpose of clarifying the command and responsibility of the PNP, for effective and efficient supervision and control among its uniformed personnel. This reclassification removed public confusion in addressing our policemen.[1]

Mr. President, just like the PNP and the AFP, both the BFP and the BJMP, as members of the uniformed service of the government under the DILG, are required the same amount of sacrifice, service and dedication to carry out their respective duties to the extent of risking their lives and limbs.[2] As they have shown countless times, there is no doubt as to their passion for service which transcends the requirement of law.

Mr. President, hindi matatawaran ang sakripisyo at serbisyo sa bayan ng ating mga kasamahan sa BFP at BJMP. Nitong nakaraang taon lamang ay mayroong naitalang 18,612 na mga insidente ng sunog sa buong bansa.[3] Hindi rin nalalayo ang kinaharap na mga responsibilidad ng mga taga-BJMP. Ang populasyon sa ating mga kulungan na may kapasidad na 30,000 ay umabot na sa mahigit 130,000 PDLs noong 2019.

Para sa taong ito, halos umabot ng 150,000 ang mga PDLs dahil sa paglabag sa mga quarantine protocols laban sa COVID-19. Batay sa mga datos na ito, hindi maipagkakaila ang kahalagahan ng BFP at BJMP upang panatilihin ang kapayapaan at kaayusan ng ating bansa.[4]

Aside from their respective mandates, Section 3 of R.A. 8551 or the "Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998" provides that in times of national emergency, the BFP and the BJMP along with the PNP shall, upon the direction of the President, assist the armed forces, in addition to the performance of their inherent functions as mandated by law.

Mr. President, all of us are well aware that both the BFP and BJMP have contributed significantly to aid the National Government in providing public service in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our fellow public servants from the BJMP voluntarily donated a part of their salary to help the Government in providing financial aid to those affected by the pandemic[5] while at the same time ensuring that it continuously fights the spread of COVID-19 in its jail facilities.[6]

The BFP, on the other hand, is part of the Municipal/City COVID-19 Task Forces and in such capacity has been assisting the City/Municipal Health Office transport COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic. As of July of this year Mr. President, a total of 1,674 COVID-19 patients have been transported by the BFP nationwide. 73.80% of the total BFP personnel have likewise been mobilized to different tasks as part of the DILG's efforts to defeat COVID-19.[7]

Mr. President, considering the same level of sacrifice and dedication that the uniformed personnel of BJMP and BFP share with the PNP, as well as their significant contribution to the country in times of calamity and pandemic, this substitute bill aims to rectify the inequality in the rank classification among the line bureaus of the DILG.

Tulad nga ng aking unang pahayag, tila napaghulihan na ng ibang line agencies ng DILG ang BFP at BJMP sa kanilang rank name at salary grade.

In response to this, Senate Bill No. 1833 as provided in this Committee Report, seeks to upgrade the rank classification of the following key positions with their respective salary grades:

•  Fire/Jail General - Salary Grade 30

• Fire/Jail Lieutenant General - Salary Grade 29

• Fire/Jail Major General - Salary Grade 28

• Fire/Jail Brigadier General - Salary Grade 27

• Fire/Jail Colonel - Salary Grade 26

• Fire/Jail Lieutenant Colonel - Salary Grade 25

• Fire/Jail Major - Salary Grade 24

• Fire/Jail Captain - Salary Grade 23

• Fire/Jail Lieutenant - Salary Grade 22

• Fire/Jail Executive Master Sergeant - Salary Grade 19

• Fire/Jail Chief Master Sergeant - Salary Grade 18

• Fire/Jail Senior Master Sergeant - Salary Grade 17

• Fire/Jail Master Sergeant - Salary Grade 16

• Fire/Jail Staff Sergeant - Salary Grade 14

• Fire/Jail Corporal - Salary Grade 12

• Fire/Jail Officer - Salary Grade 10

To reiterate Mr. President, this substitute bill will likewise ensure standardization of the ranks so as to avoid public confusion consistent with that of R.A. 11200.

Finally, with this significant and long overdue rank classification of our fellow public servants in the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, I am confident,[CDR1] Mr. President,[CDR2] that it will not merely contribute to their performance and productivity as it will indisputably give them high morale, but most importantly, it will give them a greater sense of responsibility that comes indispensable with the stars on their shoulders, ultimately, for the benefit of the Filipino people.

Thank you, Mr. President.