The National Police Commission on Wednesday said it approved the recruitment of 17,314 patrolmen and patrolwomen to replenish personnel losses, increase personnel strength, enhance police visibility, and improve police-to-population ratio and peace and order in the operational areas covered by the respective Police Regional Offices and National Support Units.
The NAPOLCOM En Banc, headed by Interior Secretary and commission chairman Eduardo Año, issued Resolution No. 2021-0475, dated April 27, 2021, approving the CY 2021 Regular and Attrition Recruitment Program of the Philippine National Police.
Meanwhile, the initial pool of Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP SAF) helicopter pilots will be mission-ready by July this year, the country’s top cop said on Wednesday.
PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said seven PNP SAF pilots were undergoing transition training on the single-engine light utility Airbus H-125 helicopter while three other pilots officially started their training on Wednesday.
NAPOLCOM Vice Chairman and Executive Officer Vitaliano Aguirre II said the 1,000 regular recruitment quota shall be allotted to the National Capital Region Police Office in the 1st recruitment cycle to improve the police-to-population ratio in the region, address personnel losses due to the localization program, and satisfy the personnel requirement of the Office.
“The 16,314 attrition recruitment quota, on the other hand, is intended to replace uniformed personnel losses due to separation from the service (retirement, designation, death, dismissal from the service, absence without leave),” Aguirre said.
The attrition recruitment quota for the PROs for the 1st and 2nd cycles shall be distributed, as follows: PRO1 (Ilocos) – 350; PRO2 (Cagayan Valley) – 400; PRO3 (Central Luzon) – 750; PRO4A (Calabarzon) – 750; PRO4B (Mimaropa) – 450; PRO5 (Bicol) – 850; PRO6 (Western Visayas) – 100; PRO7 (Central Visayas) – 650; PRO8 (Eastern Visayas) – 1,200; PRO9 (Zamboanga) – 100; PRO10 (Northern Mindanao) – 150; PRO11 (Davao) – 100; PRO12 (Soccsksargen) – 100; PRO13 (Caraga) – 100; PRO Cordillera – 100; PRO BARMM – 1,700; and NCRPO – 5,000.
For the NSUs, the allotment of the attrition recruitment quota for the 1st and 2nd cycles is: Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) – 200; Communications and Electronics Service (CES)- 350; Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)- 200; Crime Laboratory (CL)- 500; Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Group (EOD/K9) – 100; Health Service (HS) – 500; Headquarters Support Service (HSS) – 150; Intelligence Group (IG) – 100; Legal Service (LS) – 100; Maritime Group (MG) – 1,000; National Police Training Institute (NPTI) – 250; PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP DEG) – 514; PNP Retirement and Benefits Administration Service (PRBS) – 100; Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) – 150; Special Action Force (SAF) – 100; and PNP Training Service (PNPTS) – 150.
Aguirre said that Chiefs of PNP Offices/Units and members of the Screening and Selection Committee, including the head and members of the Secretariat, are required to strictly follow the existing rules and regulations on the recruitment, selection and appointment of Patrolman and Patrolwoman.
They must also follow the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Omnibus Guidelines in the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines; otherwise, they would be subjected to administrative sanctions.
According to Eleazar, in a message to the government-run Philippine News Agency, the helicopter pilots “will be mission-ready by July this year. The flight instructor from Airbus helicopters recommended an additional flight time for our pilots to build up more experience and confidence.”
The SAF currently has nine helicopters in its inventory – seven Airbus H-125 units and two Robinson R-44 training helicopters.
“The R-44 (is) used primarily for basic helicopter pilot training,” Eleazar said.
He added there is also an ongoing basic helicopter pilot training for 15 student pilots.
“And they are currently in their flight phase,” Eleazar said.
In a separate message, PNP Directorate for Logistics director Maj. Gen. Angelito Casimiro said the transition training course for the Airbus H-125 consists of eight months of actual flight and ground training while basic helicopter training will take another eight months.
Casimiro also said 10 police pilots are now ready to be deployed as co-pilots after their graduation from Airbus H-125 transition training.
“(They are) just waiting for Airbus Certification and for a license as pilot-in-command,” he added.
Casimiro added that out of the SAF’s helicopters, four Airbus H-125 units and an R-44 helicopter are currently on stand-by while three H-125 units and another R-44 helicopter are undergoing annual maintenance.
