Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

6924

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA

AN ACT
TO STRENGTHEN THE CHARTER OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL
POLICE ACADEMY AS PROVIDED UNDER PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1780,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) was created through Presidential
Decree 1184 with the aim of professionalizing the members of the then Integrated National
Police. Consequently, recognizing its critical role in public safety administration, Presidential
Decree 1780, known as the Philippine National Police Academy Charter 1981, was enacted
declaring as the premier police educational institution, and granting powers necessary to carry
out its functions, under Philippine Constabulary - Integrated National Police (PC-INP).

Following the abolishment of PC-INP in 1991, the control and supervision of the PNPA
was transferred to the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) pursuant to Republic Act
Number 6975. Subsequently in 2019, the PNPA was transferred under the administrative
control and supervision of the Office of the Chief, PNP.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the Philippine National Police shall be national in scope
and civilian in character.

For 40 years, the Philippine National Police Academy has been carrying out its function
to train and educate commissioned officers of Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire and
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, with its motto, “To Learn Today, To Lead
Tomorrow”, anchoring its existence and powers from its Academic Charter — Presidential
Decree 1780.

Pursuing the aspirations and visions of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., it is
imperative to revisit the PNPA Charter of 1981 to be responsive to the current challenges and
demands of public safety and social defense. It is high time to push for much-needed
organizational reform as well as the enhancement of its curriculum, training and education,
infrastructure, and logistical capability toward the modernization of the Academy, making it at
par with other police academies abroad.

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With these functions, rights, and responsibilities of the Academy as part of its
commitment to the national government to produce competent officers imbued with
management leadership qualities and skills in public safety, social defense and internal security
and with utmost respect to human rights, will be clearly defined and explained that it will be
sufficient in itself as basis for asserting its right.

Emphasizing the mandates of the 1987 Constitution for the state fo protect and promote
the right of the all citizens to quality education, maintenance of peace and order, protection of
life, liberty, property and, promotion the general welfare as essential for the enjoyment of the
blessing of democracy, and shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts,
culture and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress and
promote total human liberation and development, this proposed bill seeks to strengthen the
existing academic charter of the PNPA to fulfill its mandate to produce the future leaders of
the law enforcement bureau of the country.

To ensure the quality of training and education, the PNPA shall have the right to
determine its policies, plans and programs, academic and otherwise, unhampered by external
control, pressure or influence, as part of its constitutional guaranteed right to academic
freedom. In long line of cases, the Supreme Court has defined academic freedom as the right
of the institution to determine for itself, Who to Teach, What to Teach, What it shall be Taught
and Who shall be admitted to Study.

With this, the functions, rights and responsibilities of the academy as part of its
commitment to the national government, to produce competent officers imbued with
management leadership qualities and skills in public safety, social defense, and internal
security and with utmost respect to human rights, will be clearly defined and explained that it
will be sufficient in itself as basis for asserting its right.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is eamestly sought.

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

yw 8924

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA

AN ACT
TO STRENGTHEN THE CHARTER OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL
POLICE ACADEMY AS PROVIDED UNDER PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1780,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “The Philippine National Police
Academy Charter of 2023”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the
right of all citizens to quality education. The state shall further promote peace and order, ensure
public safety and strengthen local government capability aimed toward the effective delivery of
the basic services to the citizenry in the establishment of the Philippine National Police through
Republic Act 6975, otherwise known as the “Department of the Interior and Local Government
‘Act of 1990”.

Towards this end, it is the policy of the State to strengthen the Philippine National Police
Academy, hereinafter referred to as PNPA or the Academy, as the premier institution for police
education and the primary source for commissionship of police lieutenants.

SEC. 3. Purpose of the Academy. ~ The PNPA is a Special Public Higher Educational
Institution (SPHEI) organized for the purpose of offering training and education in pursuance of
the mandates of the Philippine National Police, shall primarily provide advanced instructions and
professional specialized training in public safety, social defense, and other relevant fields of study.

For purposes of this Act, the Academy shall be under the direct supervision of the Office
of the Chief, Philippine National Police.

The Academy shall harness the expertise and full potential of the members of its
community to contribute to national development in the areas of public safety and social defense.

The academy shall establish a Research and Extension Services, which shall be responsible
in the identification of key concerns, formulation of responsive policies and recommendations to

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the Congress and the President of the Philippines, through the Philippine National Police and the
Department of the Interior and Local Government, on public safety and social defense issues.

SEC. 4. Academic Freedom. — The academy has the right and responsibility to exercise
academic freedom pursuant to paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

SEC. 5. Commitment t0 Academic Excellence and Good Governance. ~ The academy has
the responsibility to maintain and enhance its high training and academic standards in the
performance of its functions of instruction, research and extension, public safety, social defense,
and internal security.

Towards this end, it shall exclusively determine its plans, policies, programs, curricula,
and standards of teaching and training, and on the basis of such determination, the academy shall
recommend its annual budget to the Philippine National Police.

The academy shall enjoy autonomy to build infrastructure, acquire necessary equipment,
reorganize administrative structures, provide for the necessary personnel complement, establish
its own Corps of Professors and Instructors, provide adequate salaries, grants and benefits, human
resource and development program and other incentives that will motivate its personnel and Corps
of Professors and Instructors geared towards to maintenance of efficient and effective
administration of, and high standards of the academy. The academy shall likewise determine the
yearly quota and the qualifications of cadets who will be admitted to the Cadetship Program.

SEC. 6. Board of Trustees. ~ The governing board of PNPA shall be the Board, which shall
be chaired and co-chaired by the Secretary of Interior and Local Government (SLIG) and Chief,
Philippine National Police (PNP), respectively, and with the following as members:

(a) Chairperson, Commission on Higher Education;

(b) Vice Chairperson, National Police Commission;

(©) Chairperson, Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, Senate of the Philippines;

(d) Chairperson, Committee on Basic Education and Culture, House of Representatives;

(€) Chairperson, Committee on Public Order and Safety, House of Representatives; and

(f) Chairperson, Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association, Inc.
(PNPAAAI)

SEC. 7. Powers and Duties of Trustees. — the Board shall have the following powers and
duties, such as but not limited to:

(a) Promulgate and implement policies in accordance with the declared State policies on
education, other pertinent provisions of the Constitution on education and public safety, and the
policies, standards, and functions of SPHEI;

(b) Approve the curricula, instructional programs, and rules on student discipline drawn
by the Academic Council and Academic Freedom Council;

(©) Deliberate the qualification standard of nominees recommended by the Chief, PNP:

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(@) Fix and adjust the salaries of Corps of Professors and Instructors, administrative
officials, and employees, subject to the provisions of the Revised Compensation and Position
Classification System and other pertinent budget and compensation laws governing hours of
service, and such other duties and conditions as it may deem proper; grant them, at its discretion,
leaves of leaves under such regulations as it may promulgate, any provision of existing law to the
contrary notwithstanding and remove them for cause in accordance with the requirements of due
process of law;

(e) Receive and appropriate sums as may be provided by law for the support of the PNPA,
and all other sums in the manner it may, in its discretion, determine to carry out the purposes and
functions of the PNPA;

(f) Set the policies on admission and graduation of students;

(g) Develop academic arrangements for institutional capability building with appropriate
institutions and agencies, whether public, private, local or foreign, and appoint experts or
specialists as consultations, part-time, visiting or exchange professors, scholars or researcher, as
the case may be;

(h) Adopt modern and innovative modes of transmitting knowledge for the promotion of
greater access to education such as the use of information technology, dual training system open
distance learning, and community laboratory;

(i) Establish policy guidelines and procedures for participative and transparent decision-
making within the PNPA; and

(@) Promulgate rules and regulations, as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes and
functions of PNPA.

SEC. 8. PNPA Leadership. — The academy shall be headed by a Director with the rank of
Police Lieutenant General, who shall be assisted by a Deputy Director with the rank of Police
Major General. The academy shall have a Dean of Academics, Chief of Staff, and a Commandant
of Cadets, with the rank of Police Brigadier General.

The Director shall preferably be an alumnus of the PNPA’s undergraduate degree program
who has meritoriously excelled in a chosen field of endeavor in an executive or managerial
position in public safety, may it be in the private or government sector. The person must possess
a graduate degree in any public safety field of specialization from a recognized recognition.

The Director of PNPA, Dean of Academics, and Commandant of Cadets shall not be
relieved from their posts unless due to retirement, resignation, incapacity or dismissal from the
service. This is to safeguard the exercise of academic freedom and ensure the independence of the
academy. This likewise ensures the continuity of the plans, programs and policies of the academy
that are geared towards excellence, dedication, and exemplary public service.

SEC. 9. Qualification Standards of PNPA Leadership. — The Chief, PNP shall determine
the qualifications and competencies of the positions for Director, Deputy Director, Chief of Staff,
Dean of Academics, Commandant of Cadets and Division Chiefs of the PNPA necessary for the
administration of the academy.

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The qualified nominees for the positions of Director, Deputy Director, Chief of Staff, Dean
of Academics, and Commandant of Cadets shall be designated by the Chief, PNP based on the
selection process conducted by the Board of Trustees.

SEC. 10. PNPA Personnel and Academic Staff. - Commissioned Officers of the PNP, or
other officers from Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
(BIMP), once assigned to the academy, shall render continuous service for five (5) years, while
Non-Commissioned Officers of the PNP, BFP, and BJMP shall not be reassigned for three (3)
years, Reassignment of uniformed personnel may only be allowed for justifiable reasons.

The academy shall grant tenure to the academic staff and shall ensure the morale and
welfare of its workforce.

SEC. 11. Systems and Procedure. ~The Director shall formulate systems and procedures
that will ensure the attainment of the goals and objectives aligned with the mandate of the
Academy.

SEC. 12. Academic Council. - The Board shall be composed of the Deputy Director, Chief
of Staff, Dean of Academics, Commandant of Cadets, a representative from the Corps of
Professors, a representative from Tactics Group, and Regimental Academic Chancellor.

SEC. 13. Functions of Academic Board. — The Board shall have the following powers and
duties:

(a) To define in general terms the thrusts of the academy and such other policies responsive
to the demands of time and to adopt guidelines to ensure its implementation, subject to the
approval of the Director;

(b) To assist the Director in determining strategies, procedures and techniques for effective
and efficient implementation of the programs of the academy;

(©) To recommend to the Director, the appointment of Corps of Professors, to draw up a
position classification and compensation plan for its professors: Provided, that the salaries,
benefits, and honoraria of the faculty members shall be equivalent to those being received by their
counterparts in the private sector, and to remove any of its professors for cause as provided under
the rules as it may promulgate, after due investigation and proper hearing;

(a) To recommend to the Director the approval of the list of applicants for appointment as
Cadets;

(©) To recommend to the Director the Conferment of graduates for the degree of Bachelor
of Science in Public Safety (BSPS);

() To promulgate rules and regulations pertaining to supervision and management of the
cadets, to provide additional guidelines to address new situations not covered by the existing rules
and regulations;

(g) To deliberate on cases of Cadets who are recommended for tum-back or dismissal from
the Academy for deficiency in academics, non-academics, physical disability and other
circumstances not covered by the disciplinary machinery. Provided, that the resolution of the
Academic Board dismissing the cadet, or recommending for his/her tum-back may be appealed to

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the Director within fifteen (15) days upon receipt of the resolution. Provided further, that the
decision of the Director on the appealed resolution shall be final and executory;

(h) To deliberate on the readmission of turned-back cadets;

(i) To deliberate on the Annual Order of Merit from the Registrar, Special Courses
conducted by the Academic Council, awards to deserving cadets and the Final Order of Merit
submitted by the Awards Committee subject to the approval of the Director;

(j) To deliberate on the list of recommended cadets for promotion to the higher class;

(k) To recommend to the Director, those personnel and members of the Corps of Professors
who are qualified for fellowship and scholarship; and

() Investigate, upon complaint or motu propio, violations of academic freedom, of the
institution, the professor/instructor, of the cadets, or any act that will undermine the academic
freedom or training standards of the academy.

SEC. 14. Corps of Professors and Instructors. ~ There shall be a Corps of Professors and
instructors in the academy. The PNPA shall create, develop and implement a system of faculty,
placement, promotion and development in view of educating, training and preparing the future
police commissioned officers with the highest standard of personal integrity and professional
competence

Civilian professors shall be granted with respective academic ranks pursuant to the
guidelines as may hereinafter promulgated by the Academic Council and approved by the
Director. Professors/ Instructors who are members of the PNP, BFP, and BJMP, may be appointed
to the Corps of Professors and Instructors upon their own application or upon the direction of the
Director as recommended by the Dean of Academics or Commandant of Cadets.

The terms and conditions of work of civilian professors shall be governed by the rules as
may hereinafter be promulgated by the Academic Council and approved by the Director.

SEC. 15. Cadet Admission. - The PNPA shall conduct the admission program and
selection of cadets. The admission requirements and qualifications for admission to the Cadetship
Program shall be determined by the Academic Council subject to the approval of the Director. The
admission test of the PNPA Cadetship Program shall be stringent to maintain high standards of
academic excellence.

The PNPA may coordinate with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical
Education And Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Education (DepEd),
Department of National Defense (DND), and the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG) in the use of the facilities and equipment of the said department in carrying
out the selection and admission requirements of the PNPA.

SEC. 16. Cadetship Program. ~ PNPA Cadetship Program is a four-year residential
scholarship course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Public Safety (BSPS), which
degree shall be granted by the Academy through the Director upon the recommendation of the
Academic Council. The successful candidates in the Cadetship Program shall be known as Cadets,
and they shall be organized as the Cadet Corps of the Philippine National Police (CCPNP).

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Cadets shall be considered government scholars and not government employees, Provided,
that their period of cadetship will be considered as part of their time-in-grade in government
service. Provided further, that they will be appointed in permanent status as Police Lieutenant or
Inspectors, in police service.

The Cadetship Program shall be selective admission and selective retention.

In addition to Cadetship Program, the academy shall offer opportunities for short-term
public safety, homeland security, and other relevant training courses or proficiency certification
diplomas.

The academy shall conduct a periodic assessment of its curriculum and syllabus and shall
likewise provide career development opportunities and continuing education to the members of
the Corps of Professors. The academy shall conduct periodic evaluations of teaching strategies
and techniques of the professors/ instructors, and shall prepare recommendations for further
improvement. The assessment and evaluation of leaming shall be outcome-based. The periodic
examination shall be departmentalized and the academy shall ensure that the examinations to be
administered is valid and reliable. There shall be a qualifying examination to be administered
before the end of the academic term, which examination shall form part of the Overall Final Grade,
and shall be a pre-requisite for promotion to the next academic level.

SEC. 17. Appropriation. — To carry out the implementation of this Act, the academy shall
be provided with an initial appropriation to be drawn from the national government. Thereafter,
appropriation for the succeeding years shall be included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

SEC. 18, Rules of Construction. — No statutory or other issuances shall diminish the
powers, rights, privileges and benefits accorded to the academy under this Act or enjoyed at
present unless subsequent legislation expressly provides for their repeal, amendment or
modification. In case of doubt, interpretation of any of the provision of this Charter shall be
resolved in favor of the academy and its institutional autonomy.

SEC 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the approval of
this Act, the PNPA shall, in consultation with the DILG, PNP, CHED, PNPAAAI, and other relevant
government agencies and stakeholders, formulate the rules and regulations to implement the provision of
this Act.

SEC 20. Repealing Clause. ~ All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders,
presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are contrary to
or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified
accordingly.

SEC 21. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.

SEC 22. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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