Bill Lowering PNP, BFP, BJMP, and BuCor Height Requirements Signed into Law

The PNP, BFP, BJMP, and BuCor Height Equality Act, which lowers the height requirement for applications into said institutions, has been signed into law.

"This is great news for many Filipinos, and we thank the President for signing it into law. Marami tayong kababayang nakaabang dito, at sigurado po akong matutuwa sila sa balitang ito," said Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, principal author of the bill. "And of course we thank Sen. Bato Dela Rosa for passionately sponsoring this on behalf of his servicemen and women."

The Height Equality Act amends the minimum height requirements for the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). Under the law, height requirements are now at 1.57 meters (5 feet and 2 inches) for men and 1.52 meters (5 feet) for women, instead of 1.62 meters and 1.57 meters respectively.

Apart from lowering the height requirement, the law also provides that a waiver for height requirements be automatically granted to applicants belonging to cultural communities/indigenous peoples.

"Napakarami nating kababayan na gustong-gustong maglingkod bilang pulis o bumbero--na hindi madadaling trabaho--pero nahaharang po sa application pa lang dahil kinapos lang ng kaunti sa height," Zubiri said. "Kaya isinulong talaga natin itong batas na ito para mabigyan sila ng pagkakataong maglingkod sa bayan."