Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
 
 
4 
Nineteenth Congress 
1st Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. __________ 
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative Jorge Antonio P. Bustos 
________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
“The Police are the public and the public are the police.” 
- Sir Robert Peel,
Father of Modern British Policing
No less than the 1987 Constitution supports the creation of an auxiliary 
force, as stated in Section 4 of Article II, Declaration of Principles and State 
Policies: 
“The prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people. The 
Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfilment 
thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to 
render personal military of civil service.” (emphasis supplied) 
This bill seeks to create a Public Safety Reverse Force (PSRF) composed 
of a pool of reservists for the purpose of augmenting the Philippine National 
Police (PNP), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail 
Management and Penology (BJMP) in our response against imminent threats of 
criminality, unforeseen disasters and calamities, and emergencies. Likened to the 
Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserved Command, this bill will allow ordinary 
citizens to become police and public safety officers themselves under specific and 
well-defined circumstances. 
Over the past few years, the population of the Philippines has ballooned to 
almost 109 million (PSA, 2020). Ideally, the police-to-population ratio has been 
set at 1:500 and the fire personnel-to-population ratio at 1:2000 (Sec.27 of DILG 
Act of 1990, or R.A. 6975). Corollary, the country’s current police force of 
220,000 personnel and fire personnel force of 25,000 are sparse and in dire need 
of support, considering also the fact that only half of these personnel complement 
are on active duty at any given time. 
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12:53 pm


 
 
 
 
According to recent studies, many government policies and programs 
could have been fully effective if we are able to bridge the gap in reference to the 
lack of collaboration and integration among stakeholders (Hudson, 2019), 
encouraging the emergence of apathy and indifference especially to those who 
need it the most – the general public. While the whole-of-nation approach has 
been used to fuel public support, involvement and integration should be 
actualized in the mindset of our people, so that ownership and permanence can 
be maintained in the keeping of peace and order in our respective communities. 
 
 
Under this measure we foresee a country with the most ideal ratio under 
the tenets of the exclusivity and participatory vigilance. The goal is to have at 
least one (1) Public Safety Reservist per household/family. 
 
 
Therefore, in accordance with PATROL Party-List’s advocacies of public 
safety and national development, I am pushing forth this bill that is seen to 
mobilize a nation with its citizens taking an active role in the pursuit of public 
safety towards a safer, strengthen, and progressive country of every Filipino 
family. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JORGE ANTONIO P. BUSTOS 
 
 
 
References: 
 
Husdon, B. 2019. “Policy failure and the policy-implementation gap: can policy support program help?” 
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/25741292.2018.1540378. Retrieved on June 24, 2021. 
 
https://psa.gov.ph/ 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines  
House of Representatives     
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
1st Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. __________ 
Introduced by Representative Jorge Antonio P. Bustos 
AN ACT 
1 
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PUBLIC SAFETY RESERVE FORCE 
2 
(PSRF) OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP), BUREAU OF 
3 
FIRE PROTECTION (BFP) AND BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT 
4 
AND PENOLOGY (BJMP) AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
5 
6 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
7 
in Congress assembled: 
8 
9 
SECTION 1.   This Act shall be known as the “Public Safety Reserve 
10 
Force (PSRF) Act”. 
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12 
SEC. 2. The Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, 
13 
in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided 
14 
by law, to render personal military or civil service. 
15 
16 
The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty and 
17 
property, and the promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment 
18 
by all the people of the blessings of democracy. As such, the State recognizes the 
19 
important role of the Public Safety Reserve Force as protector of the people and 
20 
the State in times of natural calamities, disasters and man-made hazards. 
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The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that ensures the 
1 
nation’s prosperity and independence and liberate its people from poverty 
2 
through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, 
3 
a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all. 
4 
5 
SEC. 3. As used in this Act, the following shall be defined as follows: 
6 
a. Public Safety Reserve Force – civilians who are trained, organized, and
7 
maintained to ensure readiness to immediately respond to calls of
8 
service, and may be called upon or authorized to act as public safety
9 
officers of the PNP, BFP or BJMP, as the case may be, in times of
10 
threats of criminality, lawlessness, and other similar disorders,
11 
maintenance of peace and order, lawful warrantless arrests and seizures,
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and during disasters, calamities and pandemics when police/fire/jail
13 
forces are absent/insufficient and danger to life and/or property is
14 
imminent.
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b. Reserve / Reservist – person who is trained as a police/fire/jail officer
16 
and is ready to be deployed as such if needed.
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c. Disaster – sudden, calamitous event that disrupts the normal state of
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things and causes great harm and danger to lives and property. It may
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be natural or man-made.
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d. Natural Calamities – an adverse event resulting from the natural
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processes of the earth.
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e. Man-made hazards – events that occur with the intercession of human
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intent, negligence or error
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SEC. 4. The State shall promote and develop public support to and 
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awareness of the critical role of the PSRF as the auxiliary law/fire enforcers and 
2 
implementers of peace and order. The manpower objective of the PSRF shall 
3 
conform to projected and actual needs. It is not envisioned by the government to 
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have a nation under arms, unless extremely necessary. 
5 
 
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SEC. 5.  The PSRF shall be organized into three (3) components, namely: 
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1. The Philippine National Police (PNP) Component;  
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2. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Component; and 
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3. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Component. 
10 
 
 
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SEC. 6. The organization and manpower objective of each component of 
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the PSRF shall be as prescribed by the Secretary of Department of Interior and 
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Local Government and approved by the President of the Philippines. The 
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organization, structure, manning and equipment of PSRF shall conform to the 
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organization of a civilian entity and shall be organized on a municipal/city basis, 
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and policy makers and decision makers of the force shall be at the regional level. 
17 
 
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SEC. 7. Within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act, the DILG 
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shall, in coordination with other relevant agencies, and in consultation with the 
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LGUs and stakeholders, prepare and issue the necessary rules and regulations for 
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the effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 8. The PSRFs who shall automatically be eligible to become reserve 
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police/fire/jail force of the PNP/BFP/BJMP, subject to compliance to additional 
25 
requirements as may be provided, are as follows: 
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    1.  All Graduates of Bachelor of Science in Criminology (BS Criminology) and 
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other allied public safety and security courses such as BS Industrial Security 
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Management, Forensic Science, BS Engineering, BS Marine Transportation, BS 
1 
Information Technology, among others; 
2 
2. All Graduates of the Masters in Public Safety Administration (MPSA) and
3 
Masters in Crisis and Disaster Risk Management (MCDRM) from the Philippine 
4 
Public Safety College (PPSC);  
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3. Retired officers of the PNP, BFP and BJMP;
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4. Graduates of baccalaureate degrees/courses who has completed two (2)
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years of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) components, namely 
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Reserved Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and Civic Welfare Training Service 
9 
(CWTS); 
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SEC. 9. In addition to Section 8 hereof, the following shall be qualified to 
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apply to become PSRFs:  
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1. Must be 21 to 60 years of age;
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2. Must be a citizen and resident of the Republic of the Philippines;
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3. Must be a holder of a baccalaureate degree (college graduate);
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4. Must be physically and mentally fit;
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5. Must not have been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude;
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6. Must be of good reputation and character; and
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7. Must be willing to undergo a compulsory 40-hour basic police/fire
20 
orientation training for a period of not more than six (6) months. 
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Those who have been enlisted as members of the Citizen Armed Force 
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(Army Reserve Forces) shall be allowed to apply as PSRFs, subject to limitations, 
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exemptions and additional requirements as may be duly provided.  
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25 
SEC. 10. Applicants duly qualified to become PSRFs pursuant to Section 
26 
9 hereof shall undergo a compulsory basic 40-hour Public Safety orientation 
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course in a government training facility and/or recognized local public training 
1 
facilities and abroad, for a period of not more than six (6) months. The DILG 
2 
shall prescribe the guidelines on the implementation thereof.  
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The course of instruction shall include, among others, subjects on law 
4 
enforcement, moral virtues, patriotism, discipline support for adherence to the 
5 
Constitution, and respect for international human rights and rule of law. 
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SEC. 11. Those who successfully become PSRFs shall be designated an 
8 
enlisted rank and serial number, an identification badge and shall be assigned to 
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support units and mobilization centers in their respective municipalities, or city, 
10 
as the case may be. 
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Professionals who become PSRFs shall be conferred the following ranks: 
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a. Medical Doctor – Police Major / Fire Chief Inspector / Jail Chief
13 
Inspector; 
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b. Lawyer – Police Captain / Fire Senior Inspector / Jail Senior Inspector;
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c. All other professionals with licenses as provided by the Professional
16 
Regulation Commission (PRC) and Supreme Court (lawyers) who are graduates 
17 
of Masters in Public Safety Administration (MPSA) and Masters in Crisis and 
18 
Disaster Risk Management (MCDRM) from the Philippine Public Safety College 
19 
(PPSC) - Police Lieutenant Colonel, Fire Superintendent or Jail Superintendent. 
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The DILG shall provide for the organizational ranks of all other PSRFs 
21 
upon their entry, which shall consider the educational attainment and experience 
22 
of the applicant.
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SEC. 12. All PSRFs shall be regularly accounted for, their records and 
25 
status updated and present whereabouts ascertained in order to ensure their 
26 
readiness to the call of duty. As far as practicable, the services of the PSRFs will 
27 
be tapped to assist in the accounting of reserve forces. 
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SEC. 13. PSRFs shall be eligible for rank promotion, except those who 
1 
have retired from the PNP/BFP/BJMP, and shall be subject to the same 
2 
opportunities, as well as penalties for violations, as given to active members of 
3 
the PNP/BFP/BJMP, subject to specific guidelines as may be provided under the 
4 
IRR. 
5 
6 
SEC. 14. Section 63 of Republic Act No. 7077 (Citizen Armed Forces or 
7 
Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act) notwithstanding, the PSRFs  shall 
8 
be so organized to augment the current police/fire/jail-to-population ideal ratio as 
9 
prescribed by Republic Act No. 6975 (DILG Act of 1990). As such, the PSRFs 
10 
shall be under the direct control and supervision of their immediate 
11 
PNP/BFP/BJMP superiors in each locality where they are based or residents of.  
12 
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SEC. 15. The expenses incident to the operation of the PSRF shall be borne 
14 
by the DILG which shall include the funds therefor in its annual appropriations. 
15 
The nature and amount of such expenses shall be prescribed by the Secretary of 
16 
DILG. The members of the PSRF shall not receive any salary or compensation 
17 
for their services. However, they shall be entitled to receive allowances as the 
18 
Secretary of the DILG shall prescribe.  
19 
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SEC. 16. A member of the PSRF who is injured or contracts a disease or 
21 
sickness while undergoing training and service, not due to his intentional 
22 
misconduct, willful failure or neglect, or vicious or immoral habits, shall be 
23 
retained beyond the period of his service with his consent for the necessary 
24 
hospitalization and medical care until such time that he recovers, or is determined 
25 
that further hospitalization will not improve his condition. During the period of 
26 
hospitalization, he shall be entitled to subsistence allowances and hospitalization 
27 
benefits as are available to the members of the regular members of the Public 
28 
safety units who are patients in government hospitals. 
29 


SEC. 17. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations which 
1 
are inconsistent or in conflict with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed 
2 
or modified. 
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4 
SEC. 18. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
5 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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7 
Approved, 
8