BACOLOD City — The Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO–NIR) has assured the public that its ongoing recruitment process for new police officers is strictly merit-based, rejecting any form of “palakasan” or “padrino” system.
Col. Jacob Crisostomo, chief of the Regional Recruitment and Selection Unit (RRSU–NIR), emphasized that endorsements, favoritism, and fees have no place in the selection process.
He said maintaining the integrity of recruitment remains a top priority to ensure that only qualified and competent individuals are admitted into the Philippine National Police.
“We want to make it clear to the public that there is no favoritism, no ‘palakasan,’ no endorsement, and absolutely no payment required in our recruitment process,” Crisostomo said. “This guarantees that those who are accepted into the service will uphold the standards and professionalism expected of a police officer,” he added.
To ensure transparency, representatives from the National Police Commission and the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group are present at every stage of the recruitment process to monitor compliance with established rules.
The PNP has allocated a total of 279 recruitment slots for PRO–NIR this year. Of these, 111 positions are under the regular recruitment quota, while 168 slots are for attrition recruitment to replace personnel who have retired, resigned, or otherwise left the service.
The application period for the regular quota ran from March 20 to 30, 2026, during which applicants submitted documentary requirements for initial screening and evaluation.
As of May 6, more than 900 applicants are undergoing the agility physical test at the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) grounds—one of the key phases of the recruitment process, Crisostomo said.
Applicants who successfully pass all stages, including final interviews and deliberations, are expected to take their oath as new police officers by the last week of July or the first week of August.
PRO–NIR said the recruitment drive is part of the PNP’s continuing efforts to strengthen its workforce and enhance public safety services across the region.
Officials reiterated that the selection process will remain open, transparent, and based solely on merit, encouraging qualified individuals committed to public service to apply./PN
