Good news for those aspiring to become policemen but didn’t finish a college degree.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is discussing the possibility of changing its policy and accepting applicants who have earned only 72 units in college.
Easing up the hiring requirements can benefit those who are still studying but are already aspiring to join the police force, said Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, regional directorate chief of staff of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).
“This is good news. It is an opportunity especially for working students. They can join the service and support their studies to continue their pursuit for higher education,” added Lawas.
The suggestion was raised by PNP Chief Director General Ricardo Marquez in a recent Senate hearing.
He said the move is to encourage more police applicants as some regional units lack personnel.
“This is a good move considering that there are really areas in the country that lack policemen,” said Lawas.
While some places lack police personnel, that cannot be said in Central Visayas, said Lawas, where there is a surplus of applicants.
Recruitment in Central Visayas has always been “competitive.”
In the July 15 recruitment, 1,734 applicants showed up for 146 vacant slots, said Supt. Renato Dugan, head of Human Resource Personnel. Because of the large number of applicants, only those with a General Weighted Average of 86 in their Transcript of Records were allowed to apply.
“We have to even realign less than 20 newly recruited policemen to other regional units, some to the Special Action Force (SAF),” said Dugan.
During the Senate hearing, Marquez said the country needs 10,000 additional police personnel this year but only 4,600 have been recruited so far.
For the new recruitment process to be implemented, the law that requires an applicant to be a degree holder must be amended.
Lawas, however, stressed that finishing a four-year course is still a must for police personnel seeking promotion.