CEBU CITY – The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) has started wooing qualified students to join the academy.
Cadet 1st Class Cristonie Bongcawil, Cadet 1st Class Marvin Fuentes and Cadet 1st Class Hanna Masheil Banquil yesterday visited two universities here where they chatted with graduating senior high students and enticed them to join the PNPA.
“They are here to conduct information campaign. It’s an annual activity aimed at raising the consciousness of our youth especially those who belong to senior high school,” said Police Major Ildebrandi Usana, deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO 7).
Usana aid the PNPA is strongly advising graduating senior high school student to apply in the PNPA “because we’re looking forward to getting the best and the brightest among them.”
The deadline for application is on September 30, while the examination will be on November 10.
After Cebu, the PNPA cadets will go to Bohol, Siquijor and Dumaguete to reach out to more students.
Usana said youth aged 18 to 22 should not miss the chance of joining the PNPA as they will already be earning while studying.
“UP (University of the Philippines) may have their own scholars but those in PMA (Philippine Military Academy), PNPA and similar police and military institutions around are not only scholars. They are actually being paid by the government in terms of salary which is a little higher than the executive master sergeant in the PNP,” Usana added.
Police Major Agapito Duque, tactical office of PNPA, said PNPA cadets will under a four-year academic course.
“After four years, they shall be earning their Bachelor of Science in Public Safety which may bring them to performing their professional experience in PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Fire Protection,” said Duque.
The PNPA has a maximum of 1,100 cadets and the number of cadets that will be recruited will depend on the number of graduates in certain year.
For this year, there are at least 283 slots available.
Applicants will go through several steps such as agility test and neuro-psychiatric exam.
“When they get accepted, they will undergo a 45-day new cadet orientation course. They will undergo tactics term. We call it leadership, character development and human kinetics term. After two months, they will proceed to the four-year academic period,” Duque said.
“The first semester will start in August and will end in November. The second semester will run from December to April or May,” said Duque.
Cadets will also have summer training program.
“The summer training program will be undertaken by the local police and BFP,” said Duque. (Calvin D. Cordova)