Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) director, Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, recently held a press conference where he discussed a message sent to police directors across the region requesting a list of officers who are considered obese and overweight and encouraged them to exercise in order to meet the order by Philippine National Police officer-in-charge, Lt. General Archie Francisco Gamboa, calling for overweight police officers to “shape up.”
“Obese and overweight police officers who fail to meet the standard BMI (body mass index) will be denied schooling and will not be promoted,” the regional director explained. “They need to exercise more in order to look fit and run after criminals.”
“Police officers who are in good shape will gain the trust and confidence from the community,” he added.
However, the PRO-6 director pointed out, they are still waiting for the formal order presenting the specific sanctions for those who fail to meet the standard.
Meanwhile, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) reported 150 personnel considered overweight or obese.
ICPO director, Police Colonel Martin Defensor, affirmed 67 of those identified must lose at least 10 kilograms a week.
“Since last week, nagsimula na silang mag jogging around the city at kasama kaming tumakbo (Beginning last week, the overweight officers have been jogging around the city alongside those of us who run),” the city police official stated. “Talagang kailangan ng pulis na maging healthy (Healthy police officers are really needed).”
“What they really need is to discipline themselves [with] strict diet,” he added.
Police personnel must attain a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the normal range./WDJ