Envisioned to hone future Public Safety Officers who will lead with courage and integrity, the Philippine Public Safety Academy (PPSA) was established under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Circular No. 2022-009, “Creation and Operationalization of the Philippine Public Safety Academy in accordance with Republic Act 11279,” signed by DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año on March 4, 2022.

It was geared to facilitate and accelerate the smooth and coordinated transition of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) from the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) to the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the graduates of the academy will be assigned as Commissioned Officers (Fire/Jail Inspectors) to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

The implementation of this directive was made possible through the efforts of the steering committee.  It was composed of the following officials: PBGEN FERDINANDO G. SEVILLA (Ret.), MPSA, Vice President for Administration of the PPSC as the Chairperson; and DR. ROMEO S. MAGSALOS, MPSA, Vice President for the Academics and the Director of the National Police College (NPC) as the Co-Chairperson. The members of the committee include JCSUPT HILBERT M. FLOR, MPSA, Director of National Jail Management and Penology Training Institute (NJMPTI); FCSUPT BELINDA B OCHAVE, Director of National Fire Training Institute (NFTI); PLTCOL RANDY M, MALUYO, Ph.D. Director of National Forensic Science Training Institute (NFSTI); JSSUPT LEONALYN O. OLOAN, MPSA, Acting Director of PPSA; DR. RODNEY A. JAGOLINO, MNSA, Chief Curriculum Standards Development Division, PPSC; PLTCOL FROILAN P. ELORPE (Ret.), Chief Administrative Division, PPSC; MYLENE G. RONDINA, MPSA, Chief Financial Management Division, PPSC; EMELIE R. REGADO, MPSA, Chief Planning and Research Division, PPSC; MIRASOL R. UY, MPSA, Chief Faculty Development Division PPSC; and FSUPT MARICELIA L. ANTONIO (Ret), Acting Dean of PPSA.

The pioneering batch was carefully selected from all the qualified Fire and Jail Officers 1 and 2 ranks across the country. Out of the one thousand eighty-four (1,084) hopeful applicants, one hundred (100) emerged successful to be part of the first and historic batch of PPSA Class 2024, comprising fifty (50) Officers from each Bureau–seventy-eight (78) are males and twenty-two (22) are females.

Of the one thousand eighty-four (1,084) qualified applicants for the PPSA Cadet Admission Test (PPSACAT), one thousand and ten (1,010) were able to take the examination in various testing centers nationwide on April 28, 2022. In particular,  two hundred and eighteen (218) examinees from Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Regions I, II and III took the examination at Benguet State University at La Trinidad, Benguet; one hundred and eighty-three (183) from the National Capital Region (NCR) and National Headquarters (NHQ) of both bureaus took the examination at the PPSC, MWSS Compound, Katipunan Ave., Matandang Balara, Quezon City; two hundred and nineteen (219)  from Regions CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), MIMAROPA (Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), and Region V took the examination at the NJMPTI Multi- Purpose Hall at Camp Vicente Lim, Brgy. Mayapa, Calamba City, Laguna; in Region VI, fifty-nine (59) took the examination at PHINMA, University of Iloilo; one hundred and twenty-five (125) from Regions VII and VIII took the examination at National Police College (NPC), Regional Training Center (RTC) 7, Brgy. Jugan, Consolacion, Cebu City; in Regions XI, XII, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), one hundred and nine (109) took the examination at NPC, RTC 11 at Mintal, Davao City; sixty-three (63) examinees from Regions X and CARAGA went to Lumbia National High School, Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City for the examination; in Region IX, thirty-four (34) took the examination at NPC, RTC 9, Camp Felicisimo Marcos, Pasonanca, Zamboanga City.

These cadets met the following requirements, which also served as the basis for recruitment: (1) Must be a natural-born Filipino citizen; (2) At least two (2) years of service and maximum age of 28 on the day of the appointment; (3) Weight is not more or less than 5 kilograms above or below the standard weight for his/her height, age, or sex; (4) Person of good moral character; (5) Pass the PPSA CAT, Medical and Dental Evaluations, Neuro-psychiatric Evaluation, Physical Fitness Test, and Panel Interview; (5) No pending case before his/her appointment as a cadet; (6) Not convicted for an offense or crime involving moral turpitude; and (7) No parental obligation.

Spearheaded by PPSC President PLTGEN. RICARDO DE LEON (Ret.), the pioneering batch was introduced during PPSA’s inauguration on June 2, 2022, at NJMPTI Multi-Purpose Hall, Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba, Laguna, with DILG Secretary EDUARDO M. AÑO as the Guest of Honor and Speaker. It was also attended by Undersecretary for Public Safety NESTOR F QUINSAY, JR.. Programmed to be completed in two (2) years in a trimestral system, graduates of the academy shall earn the degrees Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Administration (BSFPA) and Bachelor of Science in Penology and Corrections Administration (BSPCA).

Before arriving in their present phase and form, these programs were keenly laid out through a series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) for the curriculum consultation and meeting with Curriculum and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The first FGD was held on April 25, 2022, via Zoom platform and face-to-face round table discussion at the PPSC, Lot 2, MWSS Compound, Katipunan Ave, Matandang Balara, Quezon City, Metro Manila. It was physically attended by Dr. Maria Victoria Tibon from De La Salle University, Manila; Professor Joel Yuvienco from e-Kindling Inc; FSSUPT GERRY G BERTE from BFP; and JSINSP RAMON C REVILLA from BJMP. On the other hand, the virtual attendees were Dr. Alexander G. Flor from UP Open University, who is a Consultant of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); Dr. Ricardo T. Bagarinao from UP Open University as well; Atty. Eric Paul D Peralta from UP Los Baños; Dr. Ariel B. Barreda from Partido University and an MCDRM Alumnus; and JSSUPT ROY P VALENZUELA.

PPSC was represented by Mr. Rodney A Jagolino, MNSA, Chief, CSDS/Chief, CPS/Over-all Program Management Head; and together with him were CSDS Staff – Mr. Alex S. Regado, Ms. Norma A. Ludovice, and Ms. Wilda R. Diaz. The Acting Director of PPSA, JSSUPT LEONALYN O OLOAN, MPSA, with FSUPT MARICELIA L ANTONIO (Ret.), MCDRM, MPSA as the Acting Dean of Academics; Mr. Frederick Deldacan as Facilitator; and Ms. Ma. Sundra Rose B Oller were all hands-on in specifying the core competencies of the program in harmony with the standards and qualifications framework shared and proposed by the SMEs.

It was squealed by a second FGD participated by the same SMEs on April 29, 2022, which highlighted the pedagogy to be adopted for the learning program. It was concluded with a last FGD on June 21, 2022 where JSINSP JULIE ANNE AGUILAR, JINSP CHARISSE L PANTUJAN, and Mr. Alipio John Alcantara were added to the list of participants. At this phase, learnings from the institutional benchmarking on selected academies in the Philippines conducted by the PPSA Team were laid-out– detailing key concepts that were proposed to be adopted by the academy.

In their series of instituitional benchmarkings, the PPSA team, led by JSSUPT LEONALYN O. OLOAN, MPSA, Acting Director, visited the Maritime Academy of Asia Pacific (MAAP) on May 12, 2022. They were greeted warmly by the MAAP Officials, led by VADM EDUARDO MA. R SANTOS, AFP (Ret.), and the MAAP Cadets upon their arrival at the academy.

Their second institutional visit and benchmarking took place on May 10, 2022, at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), Asia’s oldest maritime school. CAPT REYNOLD M SABAY, Assistant Superintendent for Academics, Training, Research, and Extension, as well as the PMMA staff, welcomed the team. During this visit, the PMMA provided valuable inputs, ideas, recommendations, and consultations rather than providing their pre-written curriculum because it is much better according to them than adapting what was already established for PPSA to be more guided to the necessary things that are applicable.

The third benchmarking was conducted last May 27, 2022, at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) at Fort General Gregorio H Del Pilar in Baguio City, which was headed by PLTGEN FERDINAND M CARTUJANO PAF. His staff provided the PPSA delegation with command briefings, a round table discussion, and a tour of facilities in the hope of contributing to the successful implementation of the PPSA’s baccalaureate degree programs.

Lastly, the PPSA Team visited the MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy (MMMA), at Dasmarinas, Cavite on June 3, 2022. Dr. Michael C. Morales, President of MMMA, introduced the Transformative Leadership Model of their academy. Consequently, the PPSA adopted the Coach Model for its Character Development Program in honing the new cadets.

As a tradition in all academies, the first “TION” marks the beginning of the cadets’ journey–the Reception Rites.  June 20, 2022, marked a momentous event in the memoirs of the pioneering batch of PPSA SANDIGMANLAYA CLASS 2024 “Sandata ng Diyos na Gagabay sa Mamayan Tungo sa Layuninng Mag-alay ng Serbisyong Tapat at Mahusay.”  This was the day when the carefully chosen fire and jail cadets endured a series of exercises under the scorching heat of the sun to prove their determination towards becoming God-centered officers, molded to be mentally and physically competent. It was then the start of their Forty-five (45) days New Cadet Orientation Program with activities designed to recalibrate their moral compass, assess their physical stamina, emotional stability, and build their competence as future public safety officers.

In the meantime, the Philippine Public Safety Academy is situated in the facility of the National Forensic Science Training Institute (NFSTI) building at Camp Vicente Lim, Brgy. Mayapa, Calamba, City Laguna as its temporary campus. In its present location, two dormitories were allotted to the cadets, two (2) classrooms, office spaces for administrative functions, a mess hall, and a multi-purpose hall for joint activities.

Today, as it expands beyond the scope of its vision and mission, the Academy focuses on character development for the nation’s public safety officers. The Academy is constantly leading the way in transforming the Cadet Corps who will waive the academy’s banner, wearing the badge of Courage, Integrity, and Service.