1. REFERENCES:

a. PNP Memorandum Circular Nr. 2007-005 entitled œPromotion and Placement System for the Third Level Police Commissioned Officers ;

b. PNP Memorandum Circular Nr. 2007-013 entitled œPlacement of Police Commissioned Officers to Staff Positions in the Police Regional Offices and National Support Units, Regional Chiefs of NSUs, Group Directors of Regional/Provincial Mobile Groups, Chiefs of Police of City Police Stations and Municipal Police Stations and Other Positions of Responsibility ;

c. Letter of Instruction on Health Care Program; and

d. PNP Staffing Pattern and Table of Organization and Amendments thereto.

2. PURPOSE:

This Circular prescribes the policies, guidelines and procedures that shall govern the implementation of the Ten (10) - Storey Ascension Test which is an additional requirement apart from the Physical Fitness Test being used in the selection and placement of Police Commissioned Officers (PCOs) to key positions in the Philippine National Police.

3. OBJECTIVES:

This Circular aims to:

a. Establish a standard in the conduct of the Ten (10)-Storey Ascension Test;

b. Promote and develop physical fitness for efficient and effective leaders and managers; and

c. Enhance placement system for PCOs.

4. DEFINITION OF TERMS:

For purposes of this Circular, the following terms are hereby defined:

a. Fitness - refers to the appropriateness or suitability of an officer to hold a particular position based on established set of criteria;

b. Physical Fitness - is the physical condition of every individual specifically his stamina, strength, speed, agility and suppleness. It determines the ability to perform rigorous works;

c. Stair Ascension Test/Stair Climb Test - A physical fitness activity wherein the performer is tested of his cardiovascular endurance, aerobic capacity, sense of balance, muscles strength and well-being as he applies more effort while the elevation increases and air gets thinner;

d. Key Positions - For purposes of this Circular, the key positions are as follows: Directors of DIPOs, Regional Directors of PROs; Director of NSUs, District Directors; Provincial Directors; City Directors; Chiefs of Police; Battalion Commanders of Regional and District Public Safety Management Battalions; and Company Commanders of Provincial and City Public Safety Management Companies;

e. Placement - refers to the selection and designation of an officer to a key position; and

f. PNP Senior Officers ™ Placement and Promotion Board (SOPPB) - refers to the group of officers duly authorized to undertake the screening and evaluation of officers due for promotion and/or placement to key positions and other positions of responsibility in the PNP.

5. GUIDELINES:

a. The Philippine National Police subscribes to the principle that œSound Body Breeds Sound Mind . Toward this end, all PNP personnel, much more the Police Commissioned Officers, must be physically fit in order to cope up with the rigors of police works and to be more effective in police operations as they lead their subordinates;

b. The PNP acknowledges the importance of physical fitness in promoting effective leadership;

c. In line with the existing policy guidelines in the placement of Police Commissioned Officers to key positions, the PNP shall implement the Ten (10)-Storey Ascension Test which will serve as one of the criteria in the selection of officers to key positions;

d. The Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development is mandated to supervise the Physical Fitness Program of the PNP. As such, it is tasked to formulate and review Physical Fitness Test (PFT) standards for possible modification and revision;

e. The DHRDD in coordination with SOPPB of DPRM shall schedule the conduct of the 10-Storey Ascension Test upon approval of this Memorandum Circular. It shall be conducted in NCR and in the areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao where a 10-storey building or similar structure is available in proximity with the standard designs and di- mensions of floor and stairs described below. The 10-Storey building or similar structure for the venue of the ascension test recommended by the PROs shall be validated and accredited first by the DHRDD before any test will be conducted.

Floor Height

= 10-12 feet

Height per step (riser)

= 7-8 inches

Width per step (landing)

= 10-12 inches

Number of steps per floor

= 20 steps

Inclination

= 45 degrees

f. All PCOs vying for key positions in the PNP must not exceed the standard time set in each category in order to be qualified for selection by the SOPPB. Based on study and test runs conducted, and as recommended by the Health Service, hereunder is the Ten (10)-Storey Ascension Test Standard:

Ten (10)-Storey Ascension Test Standard

	MALE	FEMALE
Director of DIPOs, Regional Directors,
Directors of NSUs,	2 mins 45 secs	3 mins 15 secs
District Directors
Provincial/City Directors	2 mins 30 secs	3 mins
Commanders of the Regional/
Provincial/District/City	2 mins 15 secs	2 mins 45 secs
PNP Public Safety Management
Forces and Municipal/City
Chiefs of Police

g. The conduct of the Ten (10) - Storey Ascension test for Directors of DIPOs, Regional Directors, Directors of NSUs and District Directors shall be held in NCR and shall be supervised and validated by the DHRDD PFT team. The test for Provincial/City Directors; Chiefs of Police; and Commanders of the PNP Maneuver Units shall be held in venues recommended by Regional Directors of PROs validated and accredited by the DHRDD. The test shall be supervised and validated by the respective RPHRDD PFT team;

h. TCDS shall authenticate the result of the test conducted for Directors of DIPOs; TDHRDD shall authenticate the result of the test conducted for Regional Directors of PROs and Directors of NSUs; Regional Directors of PROs shall authenticate the result of the test conducted for District/City/Provincial Directors and Battalion Commanders of Regional/District Public Safety Management Battalions; and Provincial/City Directors shall authenticate the result of the test conducted for Chiefs of Police and Company Commanders of Provincial/City Public Safety Management Company;

i. The Regional Directors of PROs shall submit to DHRDD for validation and accreditation the 10-Storey building or similar structure where the test will be held;

j. In the event that there is no available building or similar structure in the area, the test shall be held in the nearest and most convenient area where a ten storey building or similar structure duly validated and accredited by the DHRDD is located;

k. The authorized uniform for all participating personnel during the conduct of the test shall be PNP Athletic Uniform;

l. TDC shall provide funds for the proper implementation of the 10-Storey Ascension Test; and

m. Results of the Ten (10) -Storey ascension test shall be posted at the DHRDD Bulletin Board and at the PNP website at

6. PROCEDURES:

a. DHRDD shall organize and schedule the conduct of the Ten (10)-Storey Ascension Test in coordination with the PNP Health service and other concerned offices upon receipt of endorsement by SOPPB the candidates for the positions of Directors of DIPOs; Directors of NSUs; District Directors; and Regional Directors;

b. At the regional level, the RPHRDD shall organize and schedule the conduct of the test in coordination with the PNP Health Service and other concerned offices upon receipt of endorsement by SOPPB or its counterpart in the region the candidates for the positions of Provincial/City Directors; Commanders of Public Safety Management Forces of the PNP; and Municipal/City Chiefs of Police. In the event that the candidate for a position is from other region, he/she may take the test at the region where he/she is currently assigned;

c. There shall be a medical examination supervised by the Health Service for PCOs who are recommended to undergo the Ten (10)-Storey Ascension Test consisting of the following: ECG, Stress Test, X-Ray, Laboratory Examinations (CBC and Complete Blood Chemistry Test), EENT examinations and Pulmonary Function Test. Only those who passed the said examination shall be allowed to undergo the Ten (10)-Storey Ascension Test; and

d. Under close supervision by the DHRDD or its counterpart in the PROs, each performer shall be made to climb the stairway of the Ten (10)-storey building or similar structure starting from the 1st floor up to the 10th  floor and shall strive to pass the standard time. Recording of time shall start as he/she performs the stair climb from the 1st  floor and ends at the 10th floor. Record time must not be more than the standard in order to pass;

e. Prior to the conduct of the actual stair climb, the blood pressure of each performer shall be monitored and they shall be required to perform warm up and stretching exercises. After the stair climb, each performer shall cool down for about 5-15 minutes by continuous walking or jog walk after which their blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate shall be checked again. If and when the performer, after or during the actual test, felt any of the following: discomfort, shortness/difficulty of breathing, chest pain, dizziness, cold clammy skin, blurring of vision and musculoskeletal pain he/she is required to consult the medical team; and

f. Result of the test shall be submitted to SOPBB to form part of the criteria for selection to  key positions in the PNP. It shall be valid up to six (6) months starting from the date of the conduct of the test.

8. RESCISSION:

All existing PNP policies and issuances inconsistent with this Circular are hereby rescinded.

9. EFFECTIVITY:

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from the filing of a copy hereof at the University of the Philippines Law Center in consonance with Section 3 and 4 of Chapter 2, Book VII of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as œThe Revised Administrative Code of 1987 , as amended.

Adopted: 24 March 2010

(SGD.) JESUS A VERZOSA, CEO VI
Police Director General
Chief PNP