Height Doesn't Matter: PMA Adopts Five (5) Feet as the Minimum Height of Entrants
On 22 June 2012, the CSAFP recommended to the Secretary of National Defense, the approval of the request of the Superintendent, PMA to lower the height requirement of Cadet Applicants for admission to PMA to five feet (5’0”) for both male and female. It has been noted that one of the reasons for the low turnout of applicants for cadetship in PMA is the height requirement. This proposal will eventually amend the AFPR G 134-011, GHQ, AFP that specifically sets the height requirement of cadet applicants to 5’4” for male and 5’2” for female.
While the AFP has already adopted the minimum height requirement of the AFP to 5’0” per approved “change 2 to AFPR G 165-362, GHQ, AFP, the AFPR G 134-011, GHQ, AFP has not been amended restricting the PMA to adopt the AFP new height standard.
The then BGEN HERNANDO DC A IRRIBERI AFP, SMA, to SND, now the Chief of Staff of the AFP favorably endorsed the request of the PMA Superintendent presenting the following arguments to wit:
While the AFPR G 134-011, GHQ, AFP dated 20 May 1993, which pertains to the PMA height requirement has not been amended, the intent and spirit of the change 2 to AFPR G 165-362, GHQ, AFP is envisioned for the whole AFP to include the PMA considering that PMA graduates will eventually join the Armed Forces of the Philippines;
There is no study or research that establishes that the taller an individual, the better he/she is in academics, physical fitness or in leadership;
To site a specific precedent on this matter, there was a PMA applicant in 2009, whose height is 5’1½” who requested for a height waiver from GEN IBRADO, the Chief-of-Staff, AFP during that time. GEN IBRADO commented that “the request for height waiver is moot and academic because of change 2 to AFPR G 165-362, GHQ, AFP”. Said applicant was admitted to PMA and she is was a second class cadet during that time. (It’s interesting to note that she eventually graduated from PMA with the class of 2014, and currently assigned with the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion, based in Campo Uno, Lamitan Province, Basilan); and,
Even the service academies of the United States (USMA, USNA, USCGA and USAFA), Australia and Japan which regularly admit Filipino cadets have not imposed height prerequisite to Filipino cadet candidates.
Likewise, the Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs (ASPP) did not pose any objection on the request of the PMA Superintendent, giving the following reasons:
The requirements of 5 feet for both male and female of the CCAFP will enable the Academy to recruit more qualified applicants;
The standard height of a Filipino is actually 5 feet tall, it is just proper to lower the height requirement of incoming cadets; and,
Lowering the height requirement will also give the IP applicants who have the mental and physical capabilities to be members of the CCAFP.
Eventually, the Secretary of National Defense, Voltaire T Gazmin, approved the recommendation and currently, the PMA adopts the minimum height of 5 feet (5’0”) for both male and female cadet applicants.
.
