Professionalization of BFP and BJMP

Policy and purpose

Section 2 declares the State policy to maintain peace and order, protect life, liberty and property, and promote the general welfare essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy.
Section 2 establishes a State responsibility to strengthen government capability for the delivery of basic services through institutionalizing highly efficient and competent fire and jail services.
Section 2 recognizes the responsibility under Republic Act No. 6975 for fire protection and jail management and penology, assigned respectively to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Section 2 recognizes that under Section 3 of Republic Act No. 8551, in times of national emergency, the BFP and BJMP, together with the Philippine National Police (PNP), assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) upon the direction of the President.
Section 2 mandates professionalization and restructuring of the BFP and BJMP by upgrading uniformed personnel qualifications and standardizing base pay, retirement, and other benefits to be at par with the PNP and AFP.

Organization and key leadership structure

Section 3 provides that the BFP and BJMP are respectively headed by a Chief assisted by two (2) deputy chiefs: one for administration and one for operations.
The Chief and deputy chiefs are appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of the DILG from among qualified officers with at least the rank of senior superintendent.
Section 3 prohibits appointment as Chief (Fire Bureau or Jail Bureau) of any officer who has retired or is retirable within six (6) months from compulsory retirement age.
Section 3 limits the Chief’s tour of duty to not to exceed four (4) years, subject to extension by the President during war or other national emergency declared by Congress.
Section 3 fixes position titles by rank: the Director-level heads are titled Chief of Fire Bureau and Chief of Jail Bureau; second officers (chief superintendent) are titled Deputy Chief for Administration; third officers (chief superintendent) are titled Deputy Chief for Operations; fourth officers (chief superintendent) are titled Chief of Directorial Staff.
Section 3 requires the BFP and BJMP to establish, operate, and maintain their respective regional offices in each administrative region, each headed by a Regional Director for Fire Protection and Jail Management and Penology respectively, with a rank of senior superintendent, assisted by an Assistant Regional Director for Operations and a Regional Chief of Directorial Staff with rank of superintendent.

Qualification standards for appointment

Section 4 provides that no person may be appointed as uniformed personnel of the BFP or BJMP unless all enumerated minimum qualifications are satisfied.
Section 4 requires that appointees must be citizens of the Republic of the Philippines and have good moral character.
Section 4 requires successful passing of psychiatric/psychological drug and physical tests to determine physical and mental health.
Section 4 requires possession of a baccalaureate degree from a recognized institution of learning and the appropriate civil service eligibility.
Section 4 requires that the applicant has not been dishonorably discharged or dismissed for cause from previous employment and has not been convicted by final judgment of an offense or crime involving moral turpitude.
Section 4 sets height and weight requirements: at least 1.62 m. (male) or 1.57 m. (female), and weight within a standard range of not more or less than five kilograms (5 kgs.) relative to the standard weight corresponding to height, age, and sex.
Section 4 grants an automatic waiver for height and age requirements for applicants belonging to cultural communities.
Section 4 sets an age qualification for new applicants: at least twenty-one (21) years and not more than thirty (30) years of age.
Section 4 makes the enumerated qualifications continuing in character; lack of any qualification at any given time is a ground for separation or retirement from the service (except as expressly provided).
Section 4 grants incumbent personnel transition periods upon effectivity: five (5) years to obtain the minimum educational qualification and one (1) year to satisfy the weight requirement.
Section 4 requires separation or retirement after the lapse of the transition period: incumbent personnel who fail any requirement are separated if below fifty (50) years of age and served less than twenty (20) years, or retired if fifty (50) and above and served at least twenty (20) years, without prejudice to benefits under existing laws.

Appointment rules and lateral entry

Section 5 provides that appointments of uniformed personnel are effected through specified appointing authorities and attestation/endorsement requirements.
For Fire/Jail Inspector, appointment is made by the respective Chief of the Fire Bureau and Chief of the Jail Bureau, upon recommendation of their immediate superiors, and is attested by the CSC.
For Fire/Jail Senior Superintendent, appointment is made by the Secretary of the DILG upon recommendation of the respective Bureau Chief, with proper attestation of the CSC.
For Fire/Jail Chief Superintendent to Fire/Jail Director, appointment is made by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of the DILG, with proper endorsement by the Chairman of the CSC.
Section 6 establishes lateral entry starting from the rank of fire/jail inspector for original appointments of officers in the Fire Bureau and Jail Bureau.
Section 6 allows lateral entry applicants (BFP) with specialized technical qualifications including civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, chemists, architects, criminologists, certified public accounts, nurses, physical therapists, and dentists.
Section 6 allows lateral entry applicants (BJMP) with specialized technical qualifications including social workers, psychologists, criminologists, teachers, nurses, dentist and engineers.
Section 6 provides that doctors of medicines, members of the Philippine Bar, and chaplains are appointed to the rank of fire/jail senior inspector in their technical service; graduates of the PNPA are automatically appointed to the initial rank of fire/jail inspector.

Key position designations and compliance

Section 7 prohibits designation to specified key positions in the BFP unless the required qualifications for each position are met.
For Municipal Fire Marshal, designation requires rank of senior inspector, completion of at least second year Bachelor of Laws or at least twelve (12) units in a master’s program in specified fields, and satisfactory completion of necessary training or career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
For City Fire Marshal, designation requires rank of chief inspector, completion of at least second year Bachelor of Laws or at least twenty-four (24) units in a master’s program in specified fields, and satisfactory completion of necessary training or career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
For District Fire Marshal, Provincial Fire Marshal, Assistant Regional Director for Administration, Assistant Regional Director for Operations, and Regional Chief of Directorial Staff, designation requires rank of superintendent, graduation of Bachelor of Laws or a master’s degree in specified fields, and satisfactory completion of necessary training or career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
For District Fire Marshal for the National Capital Region, Regional Director for the Protection and Director of the Directorate of the National Headquarters Office, designation requires at least rank of senior superintendent, graduation of Bachelor of Laws or a master’s degree in specified fields, and satisfactory completion of necessary training or career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
For Deputy Chief for Administration of the Fire Bureau, Deputy Chief for Operations of the Fire Bureau, and Chief of Directorial Staff of the Fire Bureau, designation requires rank of chief superintendent, membership in the Philippine Bar or a master’s degree in specified fields, and satisfactory completion of necessary training or career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
For Chief of the Fire Bureau, designation requires rank of senior director, membership in the Philippine Bar or a master’s degree in specified fields, and satisfactory completion of necessary training or career courses established by the Fire Bureau.
Section 7 similarly prohibits designation to specified key positions in the BJMP unless the required qualifications are met, including that Municipal Jail Warden requires rank of senior inspector with at least second year Bachelor of Laws or twelve (12) units in specified master’s programs, and that City Jail Warden requires rank of chief inspector with at least second year Bachelor of Laws or twenty-four (24) units in specified master’s programs; in city jails with population of one thousand (1,000) or more inmates, the City Jail Warden must have the rank and qualifications of a District Jail Warden.
Section 7 requires that any uniformed personnel already occupying a key position but lacking the qualifications be given three (3) years from effectivity to comply, otherwise the person is relieved from the position.

Professionalization and upgrading programs

Section 8 requires the DILG to design and establish a professionalization and qualifications upgrading program for BFP and BJMP uniformed personnel.
Section 8 requires coordination with the CSC and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Section 8 requires the program to be done through an off-campus education program or similar programs.
Section 8 imposes a timeline: the DILG must establish the program within ninety (90) days from effectivity.

Attrition system for uniformed personnel

Section 9 creates an attrition system for BFP and BJMP uniformed personnel to be established within one (1) year from effectivity.
Section 9 requires submission of the attrition system by the Bureaus to the DILG for approval.
Section 9 provides attrition by demotion in position or rank: if a uniformed person is relieved and assigned to a position lower than the staffing pattern establishes for the grade and is not assigned to a commensurate position within two (2) years after demotion, the person is separated or retired.
Section 9 provides attrition by non-promotion: if a uniformed person is not promoted for a continuous period of ten (10) years, the person is separated or retired, except those occupying a third-level position.
Section 9 provides attrition by other means for personnel with at least five (5) years of accumulated active service, based on factors including poor performance during specified rating periods, physical and/or moral incapacity, and failure to complete required career courses and/or appropriate civil service eligibility for the position except for justifiable reasons.
Section 9 provides separation or retirement based on years of service: personnel dismissed under the attrition principles are separated if rendered less than twenty (20) years of service and retired if rendered at least twenty (20) years of service, unless disqualified by law to receive benefits.

Promotion system and performance evaluation

Section 10 requires the DILG to establish, within six (6) months from effectivity, a promotion system for BFP and BJMP uniformed personnel.
Section 10 requires the promotion system to be based on merits and availability of vacant ranks in the staffing patterns of the BFP and BJMP.
Section 10 mandates gender-fair promotion opportunities to ensure women personnel enjoy equal opportunities for promotion as men.
Section 10 prohibits promotion to a higher rank unless the person meets minimum qualification standards or appropriate civil service eligibility set by the CSC and satisfactorily passes required psychiatric/psychological, drug and physical tests.
Section 10 provides that a person who has exhibited acts of conspicuous courage and gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, or is selected in a nationwide search by an accredited civic organization, shall be promoted to the next higher rank, subject to validation by DILG and CSC based on established criteria.
Section 11 requires establishment of a performance evaluation system administered under rules, regulations, standards, and a code of conduct promulgated by the Fire Bureau and Jail Bureau through the DILG.
Section 11 directs that the performance evaluation system be administered to foster improvement of individual efficiency and behavioral discipline and to promote organizational effectiveness and commitment to service.
Section 11 requires the rating system to consider standards prescribed by BFP and BJMP through DILG and to consider results of the annual psychiatric/psychological and physical tests.

Base pay, retirement, and benefits

Section 12 requires that BFP and BJMP uniformed personnel receive a minimum starting salary equivalent to the salary grade level of the corresponding rank classification of their counterparts in the PNP under Section 36 of Republic Act No. 8551 and in the AFP under Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9166.
Section 12 provides the base pay salary grade schedule for BFP/BJMP uniformed personnel by rank:
- Fire/Jail Director — 28
- Fire/Jail Chief Superintendent — 27
- Fire/Jail Senior Superintendent — 26
- Fire/Jail Superintendent — 25
- Fire/Jail Chief Inspector — 24
- Fire/Jail Senior Inspector — 23
- Fire/Jail Inspector — 22
- Senior Fire/Jail Officer IV — 19
- Senior Fire/Jail Officer III — 18
- Senior Fire/Jail Officer II — 17
- Senior Fire/Jail Officer I — 16
- Fire/Jail Officer III — 14
- Fire/Jail Officer II — 12
- Fire/Jail Officer I — 10
Section 12 requires that benefits currently received under other existing laws continue to be received.
Section 12 provides that retirement pay is subject to adjustment based on the prevailing scale of base pay of uniformed personnel in active service.

Implementation, reports, and rules

Section 13 requires implementation of the Act in staggered phases for not to exceed three (3) years, considering the financial position of the national government.
Section 13 requires that any partial implementation be uniform and proportionate for all ranks.
Section 14 requires the DILG, in coordination with the BFP, BJMP, CSC, DBM, and DOF, to promulgate implementing rules within ninety (90) days from effectivity.
Section 15 requires the BFP and BJMP, through the DILG and the DBM, to jointly submit an annual report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on implementation of the Act.
Section 15 requires the annual report to include information on the application of the budget for salary and other benefits under the Act.
Section 15 requires DBM, in consultation with BFP and BJMP through DILG, to periodically review and adjust the rates of base pay every five (5) years, considering labor productivity, consumer price index, oil price, and other similar economic indicators as may be determined by NEDA.

Separability, repealing, and savings

Section 16 provides separability: if any position or provision is declared unconstitutional, the validity and effectivity of other provisions not affected remain intact.
Section 17 provides a repealing rule: all laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the Act are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.