Sarangani provides new firetrucks to capital town

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (January 18, 2012) – The provincial government turned-over on Tuesday (January 17) to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) P2-million worth of brand new firetrucks to equip the fire station of its capital town, Alabel.

The two firetrucks were purchased thru a counterparting scheme of the provincial government of Sarangani and the municipality of Alabel, which allocated from their local funds P1.3 million and P700,000, respectively.

Governor Migs Dominguez said Capitol complemented funds with the municipal government for this intervention to ensure the fire station is equipped with the proper firefighting equipment as the people rely on them for safety.

“Kayo ang inaasahan namin to protect lives and property,” Dominguez told firefighters.

However, Dominguez urged Mayor Corazon Grafilo to encourage all her constituents to adhere also to the “necessary fire codes and ensure that proper guidelines would be followed especially in businesses, markets, and other establishments.”

BFP officer-in-charge fire chief C/Supt Samuel Perez personally received the firetrucks with regional director S/Supt Alejandro Cagampang and other BFP personnel.

Perez noted the significant contribution of the provincial and local governments in the fire service.

He said the necessary equipment needed to fully equip the firetrucks will be delivered in the next three months.

Perez said Sarangani is assured of the bureau’s support. Perez was previously the regional director in Region 12 before he was appointed the officer-in-charge fire chief.

Meanwhile, Perez said the firetrucks turned over would mean additional manpower requirement as he lamented the BFP lacked personnel not only in Sarangani but in the whole Philippines.

“We only have 16,000 firemen distributed nationwide,” a significant gap of the supposed personnel requirement the bureau should hire as it was supposed to follow a “one fireman for every two thousand population” ratio, Perez said.

“Every year binibigyan lang kami ng Congress ng ceiling of 500 slots in which ang mapunta lang sa Region 12, let us say, mga 10 to 20 lang. That is not enough sa ating manpower requirement,” Perez pointed out.

But he said the BFP would meantime tap the local governments to train volunteers for the fire brigades to cope with the lack of manpower. For more news and updates, please visit www.sarangani.gov.ph (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)