Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Queson City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Third Regular Session

9188

House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. ROMEO M. ACOP

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Pursuant to the constitutional mandate of the State to maintain peace and
order, protect life, liberty and property, and promote the general welfare of the
people, it is the responsibility of the State to strengthen government capability
aimed towards the strengthening of the delivery of basic services to the citizenry
through the institutionalization of highly efficient and competent fire and jail
services. 7

It is recognized that the uniformed personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) are members of
the uniformed service of the government under the Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG). At present, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has an
authorized strength of 23,444 personnel, while the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology (BJMP) has an authorized strength of 11,997.

However, the highest rank of uniformed personnel in both Bureaus pursuant
to Republic Act No. 9263 is Fire / Jail Director which is equivalent to a two-star
general rank in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine
National Police (PNP). On the other hand, the highest rank in the Philippine Coast
Guard (PCG), with an estimated personnel strength of 9,000, is Admiral, which is
equivalent to a four-star general rank in the AFP and PNP. The uniformed men and
women of the BFP and the BJMP are required the same amount of sacrifice, service
and dedication like their counterparts in the PNP, the AFP and the PCG to carry out
their respective duties to the extent of risking their lives anddimbs.


Hence for fairness and parity, the rank structure of the uniformed personnel
of the BFP and the BJMP should be upgraded to a level commensurate with their
critical role in maintaining national security and peace and order, at par with those
of the PCG, PNP and AFP, taking into consideration their exposure to high-risk
environments in the performance of their duties. With this reform, it is anticipated
that more efficient and effective services in the fields of public security and safety
administration, and correction and jail management will be established.

For the foregoing reason, the immediate consideration and passage of this
bill is earnestly urged.



Republic of the Philippines
Wouse of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Third Regular Session

9188

Introduced by HON. ROMEO M. ACOP

AN ACT
UPGRADING THE RANK STRUCTURE OF THE UNIFORMED MEMBERS
OF THE BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION AND THE BUREAU OF JAIL
MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9263 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title - This Act shall be known as the ‘Rank Structure of the
Uniformed Members of the Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail
Management and Penology Upgrading Act of 2018’.

SECTION 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9263, otherwise known as the
‘Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
Professionalization Act of 2004’, as amended, is hereby further amended to
read as follows :

Section 3. Organization and Key Positions of the BFP and the
BJMP. - The BFP and the BJMP shall be respectively headed by a Chief who
shall be assisted by two (2) deputy chiefs, one (1) for administration and one


(1) for operations, all of whom shall be appointed by the President upon
recommendation of the Secretary of the DILG from among the qualified
officers with at least the rank of CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT [senior
superintendent] in the service: Provided, that in no case shall any officer
who has retired or is retirable within six (6) months from his/her compulsory
retirement age be appointed as Chief of the Fire Bureau or Chief of the Jail
Bureau, as the case may be, Provided, further, that the Chief of the Fire
Bureau and Chief of the Jail Bureau shall serve a tour of duty not to exceed
four (4) years: Provided, however, that in times of war or other national
emergency declared by Congress, the President may extend such tour of
duty.

The Heads of the BFP and the BJMP with the rank of DIRECTOR GENERAL
fdirector] shall have the position title of Chief of the Fire Bureau and the
Chief of the Jail Bureau, respectively. The second officers in command of the
BFP and the BJMP with the rank of DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL [chief
superintendent] shall have the position title of Deputy Chief for
Administration of the FIRE BUREAU AND DEPUTY CHIEF FOR
ADMINISTRATION OF THE Jail Bureau, respectively. The third officer in
command of the BFP and the BJMP with the rank of DEPUTY DIRECTOR
GENERAL [chief superintendent] shall have the position title of Deputy Chief
for Operation of Fire Bureau and Deputy Chief for Operation of the Jail
Bureau, respectively. The fourth officers in command of the BFP and the
BJMP with the rank of DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL [chief
superintendent] shall have the respective position title of Chief of Directorial
Staff of the Fire Bureau and Chief of Directorial Staff of the Jail Bureau, who
shall be assisted by the directors of the directorates in the respective national
headquarters office with at least the rank of DIRECTOR [senior

The BFP and the BJMP shall establish, operate and maintain their respective
regional offices in each of the administrative regions of the country which
shall be respectively headed by a Regional Director for Fire Protection and a
Regional Director of Jail Management and Penology with the rank of CHIEF
SUPERINTENDENT [senior-superintendent], EXCEPT FOR THE NATIONAL
CAPITAL REGION (NCR) WHOSE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR FIRE
PROTECTION AND REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND
PENOLOGY SHALL HAVE THE RANK OF DIRECTOR RESPECTIVELY. He
/ She shalll be respectively assisted by the following officers with the rank of
SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT [stiperintendent]: Assistant Regional Director
for Administration, Assistant Regional Director for Operations, and Regional
Chief of Directorial Staff[.]: PROVIDED, THAT THE ASSISTANT
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ADMINISTRATION AND THE ASSISTANT
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR OPERATION FOR THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
REGION (NCR) OF THE BFP AND BJMP SHALL HAVE THE RANK OF
CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT.


SECTION 3. Section 5, paragraph (d) of Republic Act No. 9263, as
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows :

Section 5. Appointment of Uniformed Personnel to the BFP and the
BJMP - The appointment of the BFP and the BJMP shall be effected in the
following manners:

a) xxx
b) 100%
C) 00K

d) Fire/ Jail Chief Superintendent To Fire/Jail Director GENERAL - Appointed
by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of the DILG, with
the proper endorsement by the Chairman of the CSC.

SECTION 4. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 9263, as amended, is hereby
further amended to read as follows :

Section 7. Professionalization and Upgrading of Qualification
Standards in the Designation of Uniformed Personnel of the BFP and
the BJMP to Key Positions. -

a) No person shall be designated to the following key positions of the BFP
[andthe-83MP] unless he/she has met the qualifications provided therein:

1) Municipal Fire Marshal. - Should have the rank of
SUPERINTENDENT [seniorinspecter], who must have finished at
least second year Bachelor of Laws or earned at least twelve (12)
units in a master's degree program in public administration,
management, engineering, public safety, criminology or other
related discipline from recognized institution of learning, and must
have satisfactory passed the necessary training of career courses
for such position as may be established by the Fire Bureau;

2) City Fire Marshal. - Should have the rank of chief of SENIOR
SUPERINTENDENT [chief—inspector], who must have finished at
least second year Bachelor of Laws or earned at least twenty four
(24) units in a master's degree program in public administration,
management, engineering, public safety, criminology or other
related disciplines from recognized institution of learning, and must
have satisfactory passed the necessary training or career courses
for such position as may be established by the Fire Bureau;


3) District Fire Marshal, Provincial Fire Marshal, Assistant Regional
Director for Administration, Assistant Regional Director for
Operations and Regional Chief of Directorial Staff. - Should have
the rank of SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT [superintendent}, who
must be a graduate of Bachelor of Laws or a holder of a master’s
degree in public administration, management, engineering, public
safety, criminology or other related disciplines from recognized
institution of learning, and must have satisfactory passed the
necessary training or career courses for such position as may be
established by the Fire Bureau;

4) District Fire Marshal for the National Capital Region, ASSISTANT
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ADMINISTRATION FOR THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, ASSISTANT REGIONAL
DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
REGION, Regional Director for Fire Protection [and-Directer-ofthe
Directorate-of the National Headquarters-Office]. - Should have at
least the rank of CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT [senior
superintendent], who must be a graduate of Bachelor of Laws or a
holder of master's degree in public administration, management,
engineering, public safety, criminology or other related disciplines
from a recognized institution of learning, and must have
satisfactory passed the necessary training or career course for such
position as may be established by the Fire Bureau;

5) DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTORATE OF THE NATIONAL
HEADQUARTERS OFFICE AND REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION ~ SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST THE
RANK OF DIRECTOR, WHO MUST BE A GRADUATE OF
BACHELOR OF LAWS OR A HOLDER OF A MASTER’S DEGREE
IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT,
ENGINEERING, PUBLIC SAFETY, CRIMINOLOGY OR OTHER
RELATED DISCIPLINES FROM RECOGNIZED INSTITUTION OF
LEARNING, AND MUST HAVE SATISFACTORILY PASSED THE
NECESSARY TRAINING OR CAREER COURSES FOR SUCH
POSITION AS MAY BE ESTABLISHED BY THE FIRE BUREAU.

[5)] 6) Deputy Chief for Administration of the Fire Bureau, Deputy
Chief for Operations of the Fire Bureau and Chief of Directorial
Staff of the Fire Bureau. — Should have the rank of DEPUTY
DIRECTOR GENERAL [chief—superintendent], who must be a
member of the Philippine Bar or a holder of a master’s degree in
public administration, management, engineering, public safety,
criminology or other related disciplines from a recognized
institution of learning, and must have satisfactorily passed the
necessary training or career courses for such position as may be
established by the Fire Bureau; and


[6)]_7) Chief of the Fire Bureau. — Should have the rank of
DIRECTOR GENERAL [seniordirector], who must be a member
of the Philippine Bar or a holder of a master’s degree in public
administration, management, engineering, public _safety,
criminology or other related disciplines from a recognized
institution of learning, and must have satisfactorily passed the
necessary training or career courses for such position as may be
established by the Fire Bureau;

b) No person shall be designated to the following key positions of the
BJMP unless he/she has met the qualifications provided therein:

1) Municipal Jail Warden. — Should have the rank of the
SUPERINTENDENT [senior inspector,] who must have finished at
least second year Bachelor of Laws or earned at least twelve (12)
units in a master’s degree program in management; public
administration, public safety, criminology, penology, sociology,
national security administration defense studies or other related
disciplines from a recognized institution of learning, and must have
satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career courses for
such position as may be established by the Jail bureau.

2) City Jail Warden. — Should have the rank of the SENIOR
SUPERINTENDENT [chiefinspector], who must have finished at
least second year Bachelor of Laws or earned at least twenty-four
(24) units in a master’s degree program in management, public
administration, public safety; criminology, penology, sociology,
national security administration, defense studies or other related
disciplines from a recognized institution of learning, and must have
satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career courses for
such position as may be established by the Jail Bureau: Provided,
That in city jails with a population of one thousand (1,000) or more
inmates, the city jail warden shall have the rank and qualifications
of a district jail warden;

3) District Jail Warden, Provincial Jail Administrator, Assistant Regional
Director for Administration, Assistant Regional Director for
Operations and Regional Chief of Directorial Staff. — Should have
the rank of SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT [stperintendent}, who
must be a graduate of Bachelor of Laws or a holder of a master’s
degree in management, public administration, public safety,
criminology, penology, sociology, national security administration,
defense studies or other related disciplines from a recognized
institution of learning, and must have satisfactorily passed the
necessary training or career courses for such position as may be
established by the Jail Bureau;


4) Regional Director for Jail Management and Penology, ASSISTANT
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ADMINISTRATION FOR THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) and ASSISTANT
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL
CAPITAL REGION (NCR) [Director—of—the—Directorate—of—the
National Headquarters-Office]. — Should have at least the rank of
CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT [senior superintendent], who must be
a graduate of Bachelor of Laws or a holder of a master’s degree in
management, public administration, public safety, criminology,
penology, sociology, national security administration, defense
studies or other related disciplines from a recognized institution of
learning, and must have satisfactorily passed the necessary training
or career courses for such position as may be established by the
Jail Bureau.

5) DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTORATE OF THE NATIONAL
HEADQUARTERS OFFICE AND REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) - SHOULD HAVE THE
RANK OF DIRECTOR, WHO MUST BE A GRADUATE OF
BACHELOR OF LAWS OR A HOLDER OF A MASTER'S DEGREE
IN MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, PUBLIC
SAFETY, CRIMINOLOGY, PENOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, NATIONAL
SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEFENSE STUDIES OR OTHER
RELATED DISCIPLINE FROM A RECOGNIZED INSTITUTION
OF LEARNING, AND MUST HAVE SATISFACTORILY PASSED
THE NECESSARY TRAINING OR CAREER COURSES FOR SUCH
POSITION AS MAY BE ESTABLISHED BY THE JAIL BUREAU.

[5)] 6) Deputy Chief for Administration of the Jail Bureau, Deputy
Chief for Operations of the Jail Bureau and Chief of Directorial Staff
of the Jail Bureau. — Should have the rank of DEPUTY DIRECTOR
GENERAL [chief superintendent], who must be a member of the
Philippine Bar or a holder of a master’s degree in management,
public administration, public safety, criminology, penology,
sociology, national security administration, defense studies or other
related disciplines from a recognized institution of learning, and
must have satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career
courses for such position as may be established by the Jail Bureau;
and,

[6)] 7) Chief of the Jail Bureau. — Should have the rank of
DIRECTOR GENERAL [director], who must be a member of the
Philippine Bar or a holder of a master’s degree in management,
public administration, public safety, criminology, penology,
Sociology, national security administration, defense studies or
other related disciplines from a recognized institution of learning,
and must have satisfactorily passed the necessary training or


career courses for such position as may be established by the Jail
Bureau.

Any uniformed personnel of the BFP and the BJMP who is currently occupying
such position but lacks of the qualifications mentioned therein shall be given
three (3) years upon the effectivity of this Act to comply with the
requirements, otherwise he/she shall be relieved from the position.

SECTION 5. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 9263 is hereby amended to
read as follows :

Section 12. Standardization of the Base Pay, Retirement and Other
Benefits of the Uniformed Personnel of the BFP and the BJMP — In
order to enhance the general welfare, commitment to service and
professionalism of the uniformed personnel of the BFP and the BJMP, they
shall receive the minimum starting salary equivalent to the salary grade level
of the corresponding rank classification of their counterparts in the PNP, as
provided under Section 36 of the Republic Act No. 8551, and in the AFP, as
provided under Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9166.

The rate of base pay of the uniformed personnel of the BFP and the BJMP
shall be adjusted in accordance with the following RANK CLASSIFICATION
AND salary grade schedule:

RANK - SALARY GRADE

FIRE / JAIL DIRECTOR GENERAL

FIRE / JAIL DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL 29
FIRE / JAIL DIRECTOR 28
FIRE / JAIL CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT 27
FIRE / JAIL SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT 26
FIRE / JAIL SUPERINTENDENT 25
FIRE / JAIL CHIEF INSPECTOR 24
FIRE / JAIL SENIOR INSPECTOR 23
FIRE / JAIL INSPECTOR 22
SENIOR FIRE / JAIL OFFICER IV 19
SENIOR FIRE / JAIL OFFICER III 18
SENIOR FIRE / JAIL OFFICER II 17
SENIOR FIRE / JAIL OFFICER I 16
FIRE / JAIL OFFICER III 14
FIRE / JAIL OFFICER II 12
FIRE / JAIL OFFICER I 10

Provided, That all benefits currently received by the uniformed personnel of
the BFP and the BJMP under other existing laws shall continue to be received
by them: Provided, further, That their retirement pay shall be subject to the
adjustment/s based on the prevailing scale of base pay of the uniformed
Personnel in the active service.


SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The Department
of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in coordination with the Civil
Service Commission (CSC), the Department of Budget and Management
(DBM), and the Department of Finance (DOF), in consultation with the
Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology (BJMP), shall, within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this
Act, promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act.

SECTION 7. Appropriations Clause. - The amount necessary to carry
out the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated in the
General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law and
thereafter.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this
Act or the application thereof shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional,
the validity of other parts or provisions not affected thereby shall continue to
be in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive issuances,
rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)

days after its publication in Official Gazette or at least in two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.