SAN JOSE, Antique – Senior Superintendent Jerry Candido, director of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Western Visayas, welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to modernize and improve the firefighting capabilities of the country.
The president tackled the necessity of enhancing the bureau during his State of the Nation Address on July 27.
“Under the Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2019, we will provide fire trucks, put up typical fire stations in every municipality and increase our personnel,” Candido said on July 29, adding that they will also purchase a helicopter which they could use for battling fires on vertical or high-rise buildings and for emergency rescue.
Candido was director for logistics at the BFP national headquarters before his reassignment to this region last month.
He was in this province on Wednesday to interface with fire marshals and attend the inauguration of the Tibiao Municipal Fire Station.
The building in Tibiao is already the 15th fire station in this province.
Hamtic, Anini-y and Caluya are the only towns left without fire houses. Provincial Fire Marshal Randy Pudadera, for his part, said all 19 fire trucks of Antique are needed to be either replaced or repaired.
“Out of the total 500 firemen needed in this province, we only have 211,” he added. (With a report from PNA/PN)
