Removal of height requirement for police, fire officers sought

MANILA, Philippines - A lawmaker is seeking removal of the height requirement for police, fire, and jail officers.

In filing House Bill 6203, Cebu Rep. Pablo John Garcia, House committee on public order and safety chairman, said all citizens are equal before the law.

“Height should not be a restriction for people who want to serve the country as police, fire and jail officers provided they possess other qualifications required in the effective performance of their duties,” he said.

The proposed Police, Fire and Jail Height Equality Act of 2012 seeks to amend Republic Act 6975, the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, Republic Act 9263, as amended, the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Professionalization Act of 2004.

Garcia said Article XII Section 1 of the Constitution mandates Congress “to give highest priority to the enactment of measures that protect and enhance the right of all people to human dignity, reduce social, economic and political inequalities, and remove cultural inequities...”

Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “all are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this declaration and any indictment of such discrimination,” he added.

Garcia said fire protection and jail management, the Philippine National Police, the BFP and the BJMP need more competent members to better serve the growing demands of the public.

“However, this noble intent is impeded by the height requirement that prevents potential candidates from entering the service,” he said.

Under the current law, a male police, fire and jail officer has to be at least 1.62 meters (5’3”) tall, while a female must be at least 1.57 meters (5’1”) tall.

Garcia said the required height for police, fire and jail officers has denied a good number of possible candidates, mostly women, the opportunity to serve the country.

“Removing this height requirement will effectively address this concern,” he said.