QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 9263)
The State declares a policy to maintain peace and order, protect life, liberty and property, and promote general welfare, recognizing the need to strengthen government capability and institutionalize efficient and competent fire and jail services by professionalizing and restructuring the BFP and BJMP.
Both are headed by a Chief (Chief of Fire Bureau and Chief of the Jail Bureau), assisted by two Deputy Chiefs (Administration and Operations). They are appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of the DILG from qualified officers with at least the rank of senior superintendent.
No officer who has retired or is retirable within six (6) months from compulsory retirement age may be appointed as Chief. The Chief’s tour of duty shall not exceed four (4) years, extendable by the President in times of war or other national emergency declared by Congress.
The second officers are Deputy Chief for Administration (Fire) / Deputy Chief for Administration (Jail), and the third officers are Deputy Chief for Operations (Fire) / Deputy Chief for Operations (Jail). These correspond to the chief superintendent rank per the law’s structure.
They must be Filipino citizens; of good moral character; have passed psychiatric/psychological drug and physical tests; possess a baccalaureate degree; have appropriate civil service eligibility; not have been dishonorably discharged/dismissed for cause; not have been convicted by final judgment of a crime involving moral turpitude; meet the height and weight requirements; and be within the age range of 21 to 30 for new applicants (with automatic waiver for cultural communities regarding height and age).
A waiver for height and age requirements is automatically granted to applicants belonging to cultural communities.
Uniformed personnel already in service are given five (5) years to obtain the minimum educational qualification and one (1) year to satisfy the weight requirement. After the lapse of time, those who fail are separated if below fifty (50) and have served less than twenty (20) years, or retired if from fifty (50) and above with at least twenty (20) years of service, without prejudice to benefits entitled under existing laws.
Inspector: appointed by the respective Chief upon recommendation of immediate superiors and attested by CSC. Senior Superintendent: appointed by Secretary of DILG upon recommendation of the respective Chief and attested by CSC. Chief Superintendent to Director: appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of DILG, with endorsement by CSC Chairman.
Lateral entry allows officers with specialized technical qualifications to enter starting at the rank of Fire/Jail Inspector. For BFP: civil/mechanical/electrical/chemical engineers, chemists, architects, criminologists, certified public accountants, nurses, physical therapists, dentists. For BJMP: social workers, psychologists, criminologists, teachers, nurses, dentists, engineers. Doctors of medicine, members of the Philippine Bar, and chaplains are appointed to Fire/Jail Senior Inspector in their technical service. PNPA graduates are automatically appointed to initial rank of Fire/Jail Inspector.
No person may be designated to specified key positions (e.g., Municipal/City/District/Provincial Fire Marshal, Deputy Chiefs, Chief of Fire Bureau, etc.) unless they meet the qualifications stated for each position, including rank, educational background (e.g., law units or master’s degree requirements), and completion of training/career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
The Chief of the Fire Bureau must have the rank of senior director, must be a member of the Philippine Bar or hold a master’s degree in specified relevant fields, and must have satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
Within ninety (90) days from effectivity, the DILG must design and establish a professionalization and qualifications upgrading program for BFP and BJMP uniformed personnel in coordination with CSC and CHED through an off-campus education program or similar programs.
An attrition system must be established within one (1) year from effectivity, submitted to DILG for approval, including principles such as separation/retirement for demotion not resolved within two (2) years, non-promotion for ten (10) consecutive years (except certain third-level positions), or separation/retirement based on inefficiency, physical/moral incapacity, or failure to complete career courses/civil service eligibility.
Promotion must be rationalized based on merits and availability of vacant ranks in the staffing pattern, and the system must be gender-fair to ensure equal opportunity for women and men for promotion.
Uniformed personnel who exhibited acts of conspicuous courage and gallantry at risk of life above and beyond call of duty, or selected as such in a nationwide search by an accredited civic organization, may be promoted to the next higher rank, subject to validation by DILG and CSC based on established criteria.
A performance evaluation system must be established and administered in accordance with rules, regulations, and a code of conduct promulgated through the Fire Bureau and Jail Bureau via the DILG. It must foster improvement in efficiency and behavioral discipline and organizational effectiveness, with a rating system based on standards prescribed through the DILG and considering results of annual psychiatric/psychological and physical tests.
They must receive minimum starting salary equivalent to salary grade levels of PNP counterparts (R.A. 8551, Sec. 36) and AFP counterparts (R.A. 9166, Sec. 2). The law provides a salary grade schedule by rank for BFP/BJMP and states that existing benefits continue, while retirement pay is subject to adjustments based on prevailing base pay in active service.