1. Republic Act No. 8491 dated February 12, 1998 entitled œAn Act Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines ;
2. UESB Resolution No. 2000-01 œAmending the Classifications of GOA Uniform as Contained in PNP Circular No. 99-005 dated March 29, 1999, Prescribing the Classifications of the New PNP GOA Uniform and others, their descriptions and the occasions for their use ;
3. PNP Circular 2000-01 œPrescribing the New Classification for General Office Attire (GOA) Uniform ;
4. PNP LOI 2005 œTamang Bihis ; and
5. PNP LOI 06/09 œTamang Bihis Alpha .

2. RATIONALE:

Training badges are distinctive marks that denote and represent special knowledge, skills and expertise in specific areas of police functions. These are part of the uniform worn with integrity and pride, as they symbolize adeptness in performing an assigned task/duty.

However, the unsystematic issuance of these badges makes it difficult to determine who among the PNP personnel are authorized to wear the training badge.

It was observed that these badges, worn by some PNP officers, no longer correlate to their actual skills and expertise, and as a consequence, the said training badges have become mere adornments to the uniform.

In addition, Republic Act 8491 Chapter VI, Section 44, states that:

œAny government entity, including the military [to include the PNP], may adopt appropriate coat-of-arms, administrative seals, logo, insignia, badges, patches, and banners, ... Such heraldic devices and items shall be filed with the Institute [National Historical Institute] for recording and evaluation as to precedence, design, customs and traditions ... 

During the aforesaid review on PNP training badges, it has been noted that the training badges used by the PNP have not been duly filed with the National Historical Institute.

3. PURPOSE:

This PNP Memorandum Circular prescribes the policy that governs the use and wearing of training badges by qualified and authorized PNP personnel.

4. DEFINITION OF TERMS:

1. Academic Profession - refers to a line of work/profession obtained by a PNP member outside of the PNP upon completion of a baccalaureate degree or higher education and passing the required examination, if any, prior to conferment of title (i.e. lawyer, doctor, engineer, nurse, priest, among others).
2. Academic Profession Badge - a badge worn by PNP members to symbolize their academic profession.
3. Authority to Wear - PNP-issued document/order to officially authorize personnel to wear PNP Training Badges in accordance with the prescribed policies.
4. Competency Course/Training - refers to training programs offered to PNP personnel, with 80 training hours or more, with the purpose of improving and upgrading the skills, capabilities and knowledge of PNP personnel making them more competent and qualified in the performance of their functions such as but not limited to investigation, intelligence, police community relations, and various branches of police operations such as patrol, traffic, internal security operations and other specialized training. It also covers various training on the administrative aspect of police functions such as but not limited to logistics course, comptrollership course, finance course, computer course, human resource management course, and all other training courses which expertise is not directly related in the conduct of police operations.
5. Competency Training Badge - a badge worn by a member of the PNP that symbolizes completion of a competency course/training with duration of 80 training hours or more.
6. Mandatory Career Course/Training - courses required to be completed by a PCO or PNCO as part of the requirement for promotion to the next higher rank.
7. Mandatory Training Badge - a badge earned after undergoing a Mandatory Career Course offered by the PPSC to the uniformed personnel of the PNP.
8. Training Badge - a special or distinctive mark, token or emblem worn as sign of authority, achievement and successful completion of a particular course/training.

5. CLASSIFICATION OF TRAINING BADGES:

1. Training badges that may be issued to PNP personnel are classified into the following: Mandatory Training Badge, Competency Training Badge and Academic Profession Badge.
   
   
2. Courses authorized to be issued with training badge are the following:
   
   

   MANDATORY TRAINING (PPSC)	COMPETENCY TRAINING	ACADEMIC PROFESSION
   PSOSEC, PSOAC, PSOBC, PSOCC, PSSLC, PSJLC or any other courses which may be developed by the PPSC in the future.	PNP SCOUT, SWAT, Scout Ranger Course, ISO Unit Enhancement Training for Maneuver Units, Police First Responders Course, Criminal Investigation Course, Comptrollership Course, Finance Officers Course, PCR Course, Logistics Management Course, Instructors Development Course, IOBC, PIOC, PlC, or any other courses which may be developed by the PNP in the future.	Lawyer, priest, engineer, nurse, doctor, criminologist, or any other academic profession subject to approval of the UESB.

6. GUIDELINES:

1. As a general policy, only PNP personnel who successfully completed a particular training program are authorized to wear/use the UESB approved training badge.
2. All training programs with a minimum of 80 training hours or more may be entitled for the conferment of a competency training badge.
3. Upon completion of the training program, the PNP training unit/office which conducted the training shall issue to the graduates the œAUTHORITY TO WEAR  the appropriate training badge. Said authority shall form part of the Declaration of Graduates for the particular class. A copy of such shall be submitted to the DHRDD for record purposes.
4. Competency/specialized training program sponsored by agencies or institutions outside of the PNP (both foreign and local) with official training badges may be recognized, provided that it is covered by an official order from the sponsoring agency/institution and a copy of such order is submitted to the DHRDD for reference.
5. PNP personnel who have completed the mandatory career course/training and specialized courses offered by the PPSC may wear the appropriate mandatory training badge issued by the latter. Copy of the orders shall be submitted to DHRDD.
6. PNP personnel may wear an academic profession badge provided they have completed the required baccalaureate degree or higher education and passed the required examination, if any, prior to the conferment of title.
7. The design, symbolism and specification of the academic profession badge and competency training badge shall be evaluated by the Directorate for Research and Development (DRD) for presentation and approval of the Uniform and Equipment Standardization Board (UESB). In this case, a request for the approval of the proposed training badge shall be submitted by the sponsoring PNP unit to the DRD.
8. Proper wearing and placement of all badges shall be governed by the policies issued by the DRD.
9. Approved PNP training badges by the UESB shall be registered to the National Historical Institute (NHI) or Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL), whichever is applicable, through the DRD.

7. RESCISSION:

Existing policies/directives inconsistent with this Memorandum Circular are hereby rescinded and/or amended accordingly.

8. EFFECTIVITY:

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect upon approval.

(SGD) ALAN LA MADRID PURISIMA
Police Director General
Chief, PNP