MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will resume its strict monitoring of the body mass index (BMI) of police officers, a mechanism that was earlier suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was announced Monday by PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas, adding that he already spoke with the PNP Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development (DHRDD) for the resumption of the BMI monitoring to help obese officers get back in shape.
“Kinausap ko ‘yung bagong DHRDD na ibalik (I spoke with the new chief of DHRDD to resume the program.) Kasi (Because) obesity causes diabetes, causes heart disease, which are comorbid diseases for COVID-19,” he explained in a press briefing.
Sinas said it is okay for police officers to gain weight, but not at an excessive level.
“Pwedeng mataba, huwag lang masyado. Kasi for the last nine months because of the pandemic, parang konti na lang ‘yung nag-eexercise at gumalaw-galaw. Naging stagnant tayo, so ibabalik namin ‘yun,” he said.
(It is okay to get fat but not too much. For the last nine months of the pandemic, it seems only a few have been exercising. We became stagnant on weight loss, so we will resume the program.)
Sinas even went on saying that he himself has been observing proper diet and exercise.
“Ako nga nag-o-observe eh. For the last 3 months, I strictly followed my diet regimen and exercise. Kung kinaya ko at the age of 55, I don’t think ‘yung mga younger sa akin, hindi nila kakayanin,” he said.
(I am also observing measures to lose weight. For the last three months, I strictly followed my diet regimen and exercise. If I was able to do it at the age of 55, I don’t think those younger than I am could not do it as well.)
Earlier this year, former PNP chief and now retired Gen. Archie Gamboa signed a memorandum stating that police officers should be denied the schooling they need for their promotion if they fail to comply with the BMI requirement.
Sinas, who was still director of the National Capital Region Police Office when the memo was issued, then launched a weight loss program for personnel of the Metro Manila police force to help them become physically fit as they respond to crime incidents in the region.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines BMI as an indicator of high body fatness, and which can be used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.