With the doubling of police salary in the Philippines during President Duterte’s term¹, more Filipinos are eager to start a career in law enforcement.

But money alone shouldn’t be your motivating factor for joining the profession. After all, policemen have huge responsibilities; hence, they need to be disciplined, hard-working, courageous, and capable of thinking on their feet.

In this guide, we’ll give you an overview of the difficult but fulfilling path to becoming a police in the Philippines so you can gauge whether a career in the police force is the right one for you.

How Much Is the Salary of Police in the Philippines?

After President Rodrigo Duterte approved the Congress joint resolution authorizing the increase in base pay of military and uniformed personnel (MUP) in 2018², the police salary in the Philippines increased by up to 100%. The base pay for the entry-level position of patrolman/patrolwoman is ₱29,668, while the highest-paid officer in the police force, the Police General, currently takes home ₱149,785 every month. The salary increase for police officers came in two waves–the first was implemented in January 2018, while the last began a year later³.

1. Base Pay

The base pay is the fixed amount uniformed PNP personnel receive every month. The table below shows policemen’s latest monthly base pay from the lowest-ranking to the highest-ranking official.

As you’ve noticed in the table above, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is now using a new rank classification and abbreviation. The change began when Republic Act No. 11200⁴ was signed in early 2019, retiring the familiar rank names for lowest-ranking police officers (i.e., PO1, PO2, and PO3) and putting the word “police” before each new rank classification.

Note also that the table above only shows the monthly base pay that uniformed PNP personnel receive. In addition to this fixed amount, police officers are also entitled to other financial benefits like longevity pay and allowances, including subsistence allowance, clothing allowance, cost of living allowance, hazard pay, and quarters allowance, among others.

2. Longevity Pay

Police officers are entitled to longevity pay, equivalent to 10% of their basic monthly salaries for every five years of service⁵ (starting from the police’s appointment date). The longevity pay must not exceed 50% of the basic salary.

3. Regular Allowances

Regular allowances are given to uniformed police officers monthly in addition to their base pay or basic salary⁶. The table below shows the allowances that police officers receive every month.

4. Gratuity

Gratuity is an extraordinary cash benefit, equivalent to ₱20,000 per month, only given to a Medal of Valor awardee.

The Medal of Valor⁷ or Medalya ng Kagitingan is the highest award of the Philippine National Police. It is awarded to any PNP member who has “performed in action a deed of personal bravery and self-sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty so conspicuous as to distinguish himself clearly above his comrades in the performance of more than ordinarily hazardous service.”

5. Collateral Pay and Allowances

These are allowances and cash benefits issued only on specific occasions or to a select number of uniformed PNP personnel, unlike the regular monthly allowances. In 2018, NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission) issued Resolution No. 2018-340⁸, significantly increasing the collateral pay and allowances given to police officers. The table below summarizes the collateral pay and allowances indicated in the resolution.

6. Other Financial Benefits

In addition to regular and collateral pay/allowances, the following bonuses/financial benefits await those who will join the roster of police officers in PNP:

How To Become a Police in the Philippines: 2 Ways

A career in law enforcement in the Philippines is decent, considering the current police salary and allowances. However, joining PNP isn’t as easy as it may seem, as you’ll be competing with thousands of applicants over limited slots in the agency. 

So, how exactly do you become a police in the Philippines? You can choose between two paths: If you’re a high school graduate, you can join the Philippine National Police Academy and complete a 4-year program to become a Police Lieutenant. Meanwhile, Bachelor’s degree holders may pass the annual Philippine National Police Entrance Exam (PNPE) and the subsequent rigorous screening process to start a career in PNP as a Patrolman/Patrolwoman. 

Each path has its share of challenges, so we’ll give you an overview of each option so you’ll know what to expect.

Option 1: Become a Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Cadet

The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) serves as the training ground for future commissioned officers of the PNP through its 4-year residential scholarship program.

If you make it to their scholarship program, you’ll spend four years in the academy to undergo intense education and training to become an effective public safety officer. Upon graduation, the cadets will earn the degree of Bachelor of Science in Public Safety (BSPS) and be automatically appointed Police Lieutenant⁹.

Are you interested in getting the full scholarship? First, you must take and pass their entrance exam called the Philippine National Police Academy Cadet Admission Test (PNPACAT). To qualify for the said exam, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be a natural-born Filipino citizen;
• You must be 18-22 years old before admission;
• You must be single and with no parental obligation;
• You must be at least a Senior High School graduate before admission;
• Your height must be at least 5’2″ (158.5 cm) for males and 5’0″ (152.4 cm) for females;
• You must have a normal Body Mass Index (BMI);
• You must be physically and mentally fit to undergo and endure the cadetship program;
• You must have good moral character, which means no criminal, administrative, or civil derogatory record;
• You must have no pending complaint and/or case before any tribunal of whatever nature;
• You must not be a former PNPA cadet or other similar institution;
• You must have never been dismissed from any private employment or government position for cause.

If you meet all the qualification requirements above, you can take the PNPACAT. Although the application process may change yearly, the following steps will give you an idea of what the online application looks like. 

1. Access the PNPACAT online application portal (usually https://application.pnpa.edu.ph/) and click the button intended for new registrants. Create your account. 
2. Sign in with your registered email address and password.
3. Select your preferred testing venue and upload the scanned copies of requested documents (i.e., PSA Birth Certificate, passport-sized picture with a name tag and signature, and duly accomplished BMI form signed by a licensed physician).
4. Submit your application and check your email for the system-generated Notice of Examination with a QR code.
5. Print the Notice of Examination and present it to the proctor on the examination day.

Applicants who will pass the PNPACAT will go through the second phase of the screening process, which includes a Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment, Physical Agility Test (PAT), Psychiatric/Psychological Examination (PPE), Physical, Medical, and Dental Examination (PMDE), Drug Test (DT) and complete Character and Background Investigation (CBI)¹⁰.

Successful applicants who will be accepted into the scholarship program will enter the academy with the rank of Police Cadet. This is a temporary status that is renewed every year until graduation. They’re also classified according to class, which indicates the year level the cadet is currently in. The categories are Fourth Class (1st year), Third Class (2nd year), Second Class (3rd year), and First Class (4th year).

While in the academy, the Police Cadets will receive base pay, allowances, and other benefits of not less than ₱38,366.

Option 2: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree and Enter PNP as a Patrolman/Patrolwoman

While some Filipinos knew as early as high school that they wanted to be police, others didn’t heed the call to service until after they graduated from college.

Suppose you already have a Bachelor’s degree. In that case, you still have the chance to join the PNP as long as you meet the following qualification requirements¹¹:

• You are a citizen of the Philippines;
• You must be 21-30 years old at the time of application;
• You are a person of good moral character. This means you must not have been convicted by final judgment of an offense or crime involving moral turpitude;
•  You have no pending criminal case in any court or administrative case if you’re already a government employee;
• You must not have been dishonorably discharged from military employment or declared on Absence Without Official Leave or Dropped from the Rolls from the PNP service, or dismissed for cause from any civilian position in the government;
• You must have passed the psychiatric/psychological, physical, medical, and dental tests administered by the PNP Health Service or by any NAPOLCOM-accredited government hospital and drug tests administered by the Crime Laboratory Group;
• You must have earned a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized learning institution;
• You must have a height of at least 1.57 m (5’2”) for males and 1.52 m (5’)for females¹²;
• You must weigh not more or less than five kilograms (5.0 kg) from the standard weight corresponding to your height, age, and sex.

If you meet all the eligibility requirements above, you can apply for the PNP Entrance Examination administered by the National Police Commission. You need to pass this exam to proceed to the next stage of the screening process. However, you are exempt from taking the NAPOLCOM PNP Entrance Examination if you’re one of the following:

• Licensed Criminologist
• Bar and Board Examination passer
• College honor graduate
• Civil service professional (i.e., you have passed the CSC professional examination)

If you’re one of the above, you’re qualified to apply for the entry-level rank of Patrolman/Patrolwoman without the need to take the entrance examination. Licensed criminologists (i.e., Criminology graduates who have passed their board exam) are usually assigned to the Police Regional Office, Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), and the Special Action Force (SAF)¹³.

When screening applicants, priority will be given to the following:

• Latin honorees, with an academic award of distinction and/or Dean’s lister; 
• Graduates of a medical, information technology, mass communication, or engineering course; 
• With special talents in theatre and arts, such as musicians, actors/singers;
• With above +5 rating on the passing rate of their GWA and eligibility rating. 

To apply for the rank of Patrolman/Patrolwoman, here are the basic mandatory requirements you need to obtain:

1. Duly accomplished Civil Service Commission (CSC) Form 212;
2. PSA Birth Certificate;
3. Report of Rating of Eligibility authenticated by the issuing authority;
4. Two pieces of “2×2” colored pictures with the applicant’s name;
5. Transcript of Records (TOR) and Diploma duly certified by the school registrar;
6. Barangay Clearance;
7. Police Clearance or NBI Clearance;
8. Certificate of Good Moral Character issued by the applicant’s collegiate school;
9. Medical Certificate issued by the local health officer;
10. Copy of two government-issued valid IDs.

Successful applicants who pass the initial screening will be notified about the next stage of the application process; otherwise, they will be provided with the reason behind their disqualification.

After the initial screening, applicants undergo different tests/examinations for the final evaluation. Applicants must pass all tests to proceed to the last phase of the application process; if they fail one test, they will be automatically barred from taking the succeeding test.

Here’s the sequence of tests included in the final evaluation:

1. Initial Assessment of Body Mass Index (BMI). This assessment uses an electronic device to determine the qualified applicants’ BMI. The successful applicant must have a BMI of 18.5 to 26.5 (kg/m²)¹⁴ to proceed to the next step.
2. Electrocardiogram (ECG) examination. This is conducted to gauge the fitness of the applicants and determine whether their bodies can endure the rigors of the subsequent Physical Agility Test (PAT). Applicants must obtain their ECG results from a government hospital, with cardio clearance signed by a cardiologist. Those who won’t pass the ECG test will no longer proceed to the next step of the final evaluation. 
3. Physical Agility Test (PAT). With the presence of a NAPOLCOM representative, applicants will be subjected to a series of physically demanding events to test whether they have the coordination, strength, and speed needed to fulfill their roles in the police force successfully. This test consists of three events: a. One-minute push-ups (35 reps for males and 25 reps of bench push-ups for females); b. One-minute sit-ups (35 reps for males and 25 reps for females); c. 3-kilometer run (19 minutes for males and 21 minutes for females). To proceed to the next stage, the applicants must pass all events; neither retaking nor averaging is allowed. 
4. Psychiatric/Psychological Examination (PPE). This exam assesses the applicant’s mental health and whether he/she can endure the challenges of police work. It will be administered under the supervision of a PNP medical officer and a NAPOLCOM representative. Applicants who will pass this exam will proceed to the complete Physical, Medical, and Dental Examination or PMDE. Otherwise, he/she can retake the exam after 6 months. If the applicant fails the exam 3 times, he/she will no longer be allowed to apply for the Patrolman/Patrolwoman rank.
5. Complete Physical, Medical, and Dental Examination (PMDE). Like PPE, this exam will be conducted under the supervision of the PNP medical officer and a NAPOLCOM representative. It’s conducted by the PNP Health Service or any NAPOLCOM-accredited hospital to assess the applicant’s physical health and ensure he/she is free from any contagious disease. Female applicants must also undergo a pregnancy test before the oath-taking. No retaking of the examination is allowed. 
6. Drug Test (DT). This test may be conducted on applicants anytime after the Physical Agility Test, Psychiatric/Psychological Examination, or the Physical, Medical, and Dental Examination but before the Final Committee Interview. 
7. Complete Character and Background Investigation (CBI). The background check is usually conducted on all PPE passers before being endorsed to the Final Committee Interview. It’s necessary to ensure the applicant has never been involved in criminal activity or tied to any dubious/terrorist organization. In other words, it will gauge the applicant’s MILDCR (morality, integrity, loyalty, dedication, character, and reputation). During this step, the applicant must obtain and submit a Certificate of Good Moral Character from his/her school. Applicants without recommended CBI will not be allowed to proceed to the oath-taking. However, the investigation results will continue to be validated during the one-year probationary period. Should there be any derogatory record/information that will be discovered and validated during this period, it will be grounds for the cancellation of the recruit’s appointment. 

Applicants who pass all the tests included in the final evaluation will be scheduled for the Final Committee Interview. This interview is the last step of the application process and will determine the following qualities of each applicant:

• Aptitude to join the police force
• Likeableness
• Affability
• Outside interest
• Conversational ability
• Disagreeable mannerisms
• Others

The screening committee will combine the interview results and the evaluation of the qualifications to determine the successful applicants who make it to the official list of new appointees. The oath-taking will be scheduled soon after that to welcome the recruits to the PNP roster of Patrolmen/Patrolwomen.

The new Patrolman/Patrolwoman is placed under a temporary appointment for up to 12 months, during which he/she will complete the required PNP Field Training Program (FTP). This program comprises the Public Safety Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC) and the Field Training Exercise (FTX). The permanent appointment will only be issued to the new police upon completing this training program, combined with experience and assignment in patrol, traffic, and investigation. 

References

1. President Duterte fulfills campaign promise, doubles salaries of cops, soldiers (2018) DBM.gov.ph.
2. ‘National Budget Circular No. 574: Implementation of the Increase in Base Pay of the Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) in the Government Beginning January 1, 2018, and Other Provisions of Congress Joint Resolution (JR) No. 1, s. 2018’ (2018) DBM.gov.ph [Preprint]. Available at: https://www.dbm.gov.ph/index.php/208-2018 (Accessed: 22 August 2023).
3. Joint Resolution No. 01 Authorizing the Increase in Base Pay of Military and Uniformed Personnel in the Government, and for Other Purposes (2018).
4. PNP implements new rank /classification and abbreviation (2019) Philippine National Police Official Facebook Page. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/pnp.pio/photos/a.479051708802757/2652506561457250/ (Accessed: 23 August 2023).
5. Republic Act No. 6975 or the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990 (An Act Establishing the Philippine National Police Under a Reorganized Department of the Interior and Local Government, and for Other Purposes) (1990). Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines.
6. Primer on Pay and Allowances, Benefits, and Privileges of the Philippine National Police Personnel and their Dependents. 2nd edn (2018). Philippine National Police (PNP).
7. Briefer: PNP medals (no date) Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Available at: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/pnp-medals/ (Accessed: 31 August 2023).
8. ‘NAPOLCOM Resolution No. 2018-340 (Amending Section IV-B of NAPOLCOM Resolution No. 91-18, Entitled: “Rationalizing the Structure of Allowances and Incentive Pays Over and Above the Basic Pay and Longevity Pay of Uniformed Personnel of the Philippine National Police”)’ (no date) NAPOLCOM Official Website [Preprint]. Available at: https://napolcom.gov.ph/pdf/RES%202018-340.pdf (Accessed: 31 August 2023).
9. Admission (no date) Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Official Website. Available at: https://pnpa.edu.ph/main/index.php/admission/ (Accessed: 02 September 2023).
10. Announcement (2023) Facebook. PNP Recruitment and Selection Service (PNP RSS). Available at: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=542061984773351 (Accessed: 02 September 2023).
11. ‘NAPOLCOM Memorandum Circular No. 2021-001 (Prescribing the Guidelines and Procedures for the Recruitment, Selection, and Appointment of Patrolman/Patrolwoman)’ (2021) NAPOLCOM.gov.ph [Preprint]. National Police Commission. Available at: https://napolcom.gov.ph/pdf/MC%202021-001.pdf (Accessed: 02 September 2023).
12. Tupas, E. (2021) Height requirement lowered for PNP, other uniformed services, The Philippine Star. Available at: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/05/29/2101654/height-requirement-lowered-pnp-other-uniformed-services (Accessed: 05 September 2023).
13. Announcement (2022) Facebook. PNP Recruitment and Selection Service (PNP RSS). Available at: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=440898061556411 (Accessed: 02 September 2023).
14. BMI Check! Paano Malalaman Kung Pasok Ang Iyong BMI? (2022) Facebook. PNP Recruitment and Selection Service (PNP RSS). Available at: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=376707917975426 (Accessed: 02 September 2023).