By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
WELL, beyond business, firefighting is life for 53-year-old Filipino-Chinese Bryant Lao, one of this year’s Ang Banwahanon Awardees of Bacolod City.
The desire to help save lives and properties every time there’s a fire in Bacolod or any parts of Negros Occidental fuels him to go beyond the comfort of his business and private life for 36 years now. He has become a constant figure every now and then there’s fire (big or small) in the communities. And for 16 years he served as fire chief of the Bacolod Chamber Fire Volunteer Brigade (BCFVB.
On June 18, during Bacolod’s 86th Charter anniversary celebration, Bryant alongside Nestor Evaristo of the sought-after Aboy’s Restaurant and Marigold Ponce-Tangco of Gold Hearts Club were feted as the three Ang Banwahanon Awardees of the “City of Smiles”.
The Ang Banwahanon Award is the highest recognition bestowed upon a Bacolodnon whose life and service have deeply impacted the economic, sports, social, moral, and educational development of Bacolod.
HONOR, RESPONSIBILITY
For Bryant, to be an Ang Banwahanon Awardee is both an honor and a responsibility coupled with dedication to do more for the community.
“There’s a gigantic sense of duty that fire is always an enemy,” he said.
Inspired by his two uncles who used to be fire volunteers when he was still a kid, Bryant was instilled the essence of being a volunteer fire fighter. Firefighting is life for this Fil-Chino.
Above all, he confided, being in the BCFVB is a noblest fulfillment of his dad’s fervent dream of becoming a fire fighter, too. He said his late father, Chua Kayo, really, really wanted to become a fire fighter.
Bryant, however, said his dad feared not of fire, but the exam, a requisite to be hurdled prior to becoming a fire volunteer.
“At that time, being a pure Chinese, my dad cannot understand English, so he gave up his dream,” Bryant said.
“To fulfill his dream, here I am now doing what he really wanted to be – to help, to save lives and properties amid the blaze,” Bryant proudly said.
But Bryant said his job as a fire chief for 16 years is no joke. During conflagrations, two things always play in his mind – to save lives of the fire victims and to ensure his volunteers’ safety.
Thus, he really needs to always assess every situation, leading to a balanced decision.
‘BLESSED’
He, however, said he is blessed to have an obstetrics gynecologist wife, Dr. Mary Rose Lao, who really understands his job.
“She’s a doctor and she knows how to deal with emergency cases too, so I really don’ t have problems when it comes to my family. In fact, our two daughters have already adjusted with our lifestyle truly highlighted by volunteerism,” shared Bryant.
“There always a sense of fulfillment but at the end of the day I still have to ask myself: What should I do more?” he added.
Helping people against fire is risky and could even be deadly, he said. Turning 54 this year, Bryant wishes to relinquish his post to a much younger soul.
“It’s high time now to look for somebody who is younger yet dutiful to continue BCFVB’s legacy, mission and vision,” said Bryant, the fifth fire chief for BCFVB. But he vowed to remain as volunteer still.
COMMITMENT, SACRIFICE
In a nutshell, to be a fire volunteer entails commitment and sacrifice. Because having fire as an enemy (as always) commands an act of bravery. Thus, beyond Ang Banwahanon Award, Bryant is truly an undaunted hero of Bacolod.
And like what wanderer ascetic and religious leader Buddha had said, “Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death, can erase our good deeds.”
And that’s Bryant. The “man on fire” literally and figuratively.
Kudos to Bryant!/PN
