QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 11549)
RA 11549 is known as the “PNP, BFP, BJMP and BuCor Height Equity Act.” It lowers (amends) the minimum height requirements for applicants of the PNP, BFP, BJMP, and BuCor, in order to create greater equity in qualification standards.
RA 11549 amends: (1) Section 30 of RA 6975 (as amended) for PNP; (2) Section 4 of RA 9263 for BFP and BJMP; and (3) Section 11 of RA 10575 for BuCor. These amended provisions concern minimum height requirements (and in some cases age/waiver rules).
For PNP applicants, the law requires at least 1.57 m for males and at least 1.52 m for females.
For BFP and BJMP uniformed personnel, the minimum height is at least 1.57 m for males and 1.52 m for females.
For BuCor personnel, the minimum height is at least 1.57 m for males and at least 1.52 m for females.
The law provides that a waiver for the height requirement shall be automatically granted to applicants belonging to the cultural communities/Indigenous Peoples.
For PNP, the waiver for height requirement is automatically granted. For BFP/BJMP, the waiver for both height and age requirements is automatically granted to applicants belonging to cultural communities/Indigenous Peoples.
No—under the BuCor provision, a waiver for height and age requirements may be granted (it is not stated as automatically granted).
RA 11549 states that a new applicant must not be less than 21 or more than 40 years of age. It also states that, except for the particular provision on that age range, the enumerated qualifications are continuing in character, and absence of one at any given time may be a ground for separation or retirement.
Those already in the service upon the effectivity of the Act are given five (5) years from the date of effectivity to obtain the minimum educational qualification and eligibility, with subsidiary assistance as provided for in the Act.
Within 90 days from the effectivity of the Act, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Justice, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, National Police Commission, PNP, BFP, BJMP, and BuCor, must promulgate the necessary IRR.
It takes effect 15 days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
It provides that if any part, section, or provision of the Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining unaffected provisions remain valid and subsisting.
It states that all laws, decrees, ordinances, rules, regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the Act are repealed or modified accordingly.
Knowing it is a consolidation helps law students track that the final text reflects negotiations/merging of versions from the House and Senate, often indicating shared purpose—here, lowering height requirements and addressing equity in qualification standards for these uniformed services.
Because “minimum” establishes a floor for eligibility; it also signals that the rule is a baseline requirement that agencies cannot impose a higher height requirement than what the amended statute provides, except where the law itself allows additional rules (e.g., waivers specifically provided).