Dela Rosa: new law guarantees protection of private security personnel

SENATOR Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Tuesday joyfully informed fellow senators that his bill to strengthen the private security industry is one of the measures that lapsed into law.

"Mr. President, you just said a while ago that basahin na lang ng ating majority leader (Joel Villanueva) 'yung mga nag-lapse into law but I cannot help but inform you that another happy bill that lapsed into law was RA No. 11917 (Republic Act No. 11917) or the Private Security Services Industry Act," Dela Rosa said in a manifestation addressing Senate President Migz Zubiri.

Dela Rosa, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, authored, sponsored, and fought hard for RA 11917, otherwise known as "an Act Strengthening the Regulation of the Private Security Industry, Repealing for the Purpose Republic Act No. 5487, entitled "An Act to Regulate the Organization and Operation of Private Detective, Watchmen or Security Guard Agencies, As Amended," which was passed by the Senate last May.

He said, "Pinaghirapan naming ito ni (former) Senator Franklin Drilon."

The former top cop said that the new law intensifies the regulation of security agencies, like requiring the agency owner to be one of its licensees when applying for a License to Operate (LTO).

"Good news dahil batas na po ang RA11917 o The Private Security Services Industry Act na mangangalaga sa ating mga private security personnel. Sa ilalim ng bagong batas na ito, mas paiigtingin ang regulation ng security agencies dahil required na ang may-ari mismo ng ahensya ang isa sa licensees nito. Ang minimum administrative fees rin na pwedeng i-charge ng ahensya sa mga kliyente nito ay 20% ng kontrata, upang masigurado na maayos ang sahod at benepisyo ng mga security personnel," he posted on his Facebook page.

The law also simplifies the qualification requirements for those applying for security personnel positions.

"Sila ay dapat nasa legal na edad, Filipino, physically at mentally fit, of good moral character at hindi konbidktado (convicted) ng anumang krimen patungkol sa moral turpitude. Base dito, maari na mag-apply bilang security personnel ang mga estudyanteng nagtapos sa K12 o grade 12," the post on the Senator's page also added.

During his sponsorship of the measure in October 2021, Dela Rosa said, "We have witnessed countless changes to the private security industry, enough to convince us that the prevailing law is simply no longer responsive to the signs of the times. Here, then, we see the first reason for the passage of this measure; there is a need to update the law and to ensure that it accounts for the real situation of our private security professionals."