QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 9592)
RA 9592 extends for five (5) years the regulatory period for complying with the minimum educational qualification and appropriate civil service eligibility in the appointment to the BFP and BJMP, amending certain provisions of RA 9263.
No person shall be appointed as uniformed personnel of the BFP and BJMP unless they possess the enumerated minimum qualifications in Section 4, including citizenship, good moral character, passing of psychiatric/psychological/drug/physical tests, baccalaureate degree, appropriate civil service eligibility, and several physical requirements, among others.
It means that the enumerated qualifications are not only required at the time of appointment; they must remain present. Absence of any qualification at any given time is a ground for separation or retirement from the service.
They are given another five (5) years to obtain the minimum educational qualification and appropriate civil service eligibility, reckoned from the date of effectivity of RA 9592.
Those concerned BFP and BJMP members who have rendered more than fifteen (15) years of service at the time of the effectivity of RA 9592 are no longer required to comply with the educational and eligibility requirements.
They are no longer required to obtain the appropriate civil service eligibility, since acquiring NAPOLCOM eligibility prior to RA 9263’s effectivity is recognized as compliance.
If they fail to satisfy any enumerated requirements, they shall be separated from service if below 50 years of age and have served less than 20 years, or retired if 50 years and above and have served at least 20 years. This is without prejudice to benefits under existing laws.
For general applicants, the proviso states waiver for height and age requirements is automatically granted to applicants belonging to cultural communities. Also, a new applicant must be not less than 21 nor more than 30 years of age.
Height: at least 1.62 m for male and 1.57 m for female, with automatic waivers for cultural communities. Weight: not more or less than five kilograms (5 kgs) from the standard weight corresponding to height, age, and sex.
Applicants must have passed psychiatric/psychological, drug, and physical tests to determine physical and mental health.
It requires that personnel are not eligible for promotion to higher rank unless they meet minimum qualification standards or appropriate civil service eligibility set by the CSC and satisfactorily pass required psychiatric/psychological, drug and physical tests; those who obtained NAPOLCOM eligibility prior to RA 9263’s effectivity are considered to have complied with the civil service eligibility requirement.
The system of promotion shall be based on merits and on the availability of vacant ranks in the BFP and BJMP staffing pattern, and it shall be gender-fair to ensure equal promotion opportunities for women as for men.
Personnel who have exhibited acts of conspicuous courage and gallantry at the risk of their life above and beyond the call of duty, or selected as such in a nationwide search by any accredited civic organization, may be promoted to the next higher rank.
The DILG and the CSC validate them based on established criteria.
The DILG, in coordination with the BFP, BJMP, CSC, and CHED, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of the Act.
Separability: other provisions not affected by unconstitutionality remain in full force. Repealing: all inconsistent laws, decrees, orders, rules, regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
It takes effect upon publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.