The Philippine National Police might set a separate weight standard for Cordillera cops.
Police Regional Office-Cordillera Operations Management Division Chief, Col. Homer Penecilla, said the current body mass index (BMI) standard, which the country’s men and women in uniform must meet, may not be applicable to Cordillerans who often come out as overweight.
He said the national PNP leadership has recognized the need to set a separate BMI standard for Cordillera police officers after noting that a lot of those from the region are registering beyond their supposed ideal weights.
“A lot of police officers from the Cordillera are considered overweight. Even those that are with the Special Action Force, who are mostly Cordillerans, are going beyond their ideal weight despite the fact that they are subject to rigid physical training. Jogging na nga lang ang pahinga nila, but still, they are overweight, under the BMI standard,” he said.
PNP OIC Chief, Lt/Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, has earlier mandated the country’s police officers to shed their excess weight if they do not want their careers to suffer.
Gamboa said those who could not meet the standard BMI will be denied schooling, which is one of the requirements for cops to be promoted.
Penecilla said a lot of Cordillera police officers will be affected by the policy.
“This is why the national headquarters is considering setting another standard for police officers from the Cordillera because they recognized that the current BMI might not be applicable for them,” he said.
He said the separate weight standard will apply not only to Cordillera cops assigned in the region, but also to those who are assigned in other parts of the country.
BMI is a measurement of an individuals’ weight vis-a-vis their height. It is an indicator of a person’s body fat.
The World Health Organization said that as BMI increases, so does a person’s risk for some diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, cancer, and diabetes.
Penecilla said it is the responsibility of every police officer to maintain their ideal body weight.
“It is an individual responsibility. Police officers should not exceed their maximum weight because the ultimate penalty (for not meeting the standard) is their career,” he said. – Jane B. Cadalig
April 23, 2024
