BY JEN BAYLON
ROXAS City – Boarding house owners here are encouraged to secure business permits to ensure compliance with basic safety standards, particularly against fire incidents, as the observance of Fire Prevention Month nears.
Fire Inspector Delsie De Borja, acting city fire marshal of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Roxas City, disclosed that so far this year, only seven have been granted business permits out of 22 operating boarding houses.
According to De Borja, boarding house owners must obtain business permits for the safety of their tenants.
A Fire Safety Inspection Certificate is a pre-requisite for securing a business permit, De Boja explained. The certificate is issued by the BFP when the structure has passed the requirements, such as the installation of a fire exit and a fire extinguisher, among others, during a safety inspection.
This is in light of the recent fire incidents in the region, including the Feb. 18 blaze in La Paz, Iloilo City, where two individuals, both tenants of a boarding house, died.
Meanwhile, De Borja recently officially assumed the role of acting city fire marshal of the BFP-Roxas City.
De Borja hails from Panitan, Capiz, graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Management, and started from the BFP’s lowest rank before climbing up to the officer, she revealed in an interview.
De Borja shared that before being assigned to Roxas City, she served as the head of the President Roxas Fire Station for five years.
The new acting city fire marshal has held various positions at the BFP’s Regional Office 6, including Executive Assistant Head under the former Regional Director Fire Chief Superintendent Jerry Candido. She also led the plan and program division until she became the Deputy Chief of the Roxas City Fire Station on September 20, 2022.
The official emphasized her dedication to serving the community at all times.
De Borja replaced Fire Senior Inspector Atty. Michael Lopez as the Acting City Fire Marshal./PN
