BFP MODERNIZATION. Bureau of Fire Protection Western Visayas Director, S/Supt. Jerry Candido, interfaces with Fire Marshals and Municipal Fire Prevention Officers in Antique at Pearl Garden Resort in San Jose de Buenavista on Wednesday (July 29, 2020). Candido said President Rodrigo Duterte's SONA pronouncement to modernize the BFP is necessary for them to provide better and efficient service. (Photo courtesy of BFP Antique)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique -- The plan to modernize and improve the firefighting capabilities in the country as mentioned by President Rodrigo Duterte earned praises from the top official of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Western Visayas.
BFP regional director S/Supt. Jerry D. Candido, in an interview Wednesday, said he is glad that the President tackled the necessity of modernizing their bureau.
“I am happy that President Duterte is serious in improving the firefighting capability of our bureau,” he said.
Candido was director for logistics at the BFP national headquarters before his reassignment to Western Visayas last month.
They had been working out for the implementation of the Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2019. “In the modernization plan, we will be providing firetrucks and put up typical fire stations in every municipality,” he said.
He said they will also be increasing their personnel and even purchase helicopter which they could use in firefighting on vertical or high-rise buildings.
“The helicopter could also be used for emergency rescue and as an ambulance,” he said.
Candido was in Antique for the inauguration of the Tibiao Municipal Fire Station and interfaced with fire marshals.
In a separate interview, Antique Provincial Fire Marshal Randy Pudadera said the province, at present, has 19 firetrucks but these are already old and need replacement or repair.
“We also have 211 firemen in the province out of the total needed 500 firemen,” he said.
He said the fire station inaugurated in Tibiao is the 15th in the province leaving only the towns of Hamtic, Anini-y, and Caluya with no fire stations.
He also said President Duterte is fully aware of the need for the BFP modernization that is why he mentioned it on his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.
“Under the BFP modernization, we look forward that our bureau would be fully equipped in terms of fire trucks that would suppress on high rise buildings and also have the needed accessories and personal protective equipment for our personnel,” he said. (PNA)
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