A total of 1,484 local government units (LGUs) are now equipped with fire stations as of September this year, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos Jr. said on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Abalos said this ensures that more LGUs in the country are ‘now better equipped in case of fire incidents and other emergencies that might require immediate assistance from firefighters and first responders.’
A total of 72 new fire stations were constructed in just over a year since assuming office in July 2022, leaving only 150 LGUs without fire trucks and fire stations.
“Of the 150 LGUs, six have newly constructed buildings for operationalization, 16 are ongoing construction, and the remaining 128 LGUs are recommended for priority construction,’’ the DILG said.
Abalos added that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) now has a total of 2,912 firetruck units of different water-carrying capacities, of which 465 new 1,000-gallon trucks were obtained through the bulk procurement since 2022.
“With more fire stations and modern fire trucks, the response time of the firefighters in case of fire will be shortened from the standard seven minutes for every kilometer and about seven minutes per 2.5 kilometers in Metro Manila due to traffic congestion,” Abalos bared.
Abalos pointed out that the construction of more fire stations and the purchase of fully modernized fire-fighting tools and lifesaving equipment are part of the strategic move towards BFP modernization.
Republic Act (RA) 11589 or the BFP Modernization Act of 2021 provides that the BFP, in coordination with the DILG, shall enhance the capability of its personnel, acquire state-of-the-art fire prevention, fire suppression, fire investigation, and emergency medical and rescue services facilities and equipment.
The DILG stated that RA 11589 also broadens the BFP’s mandate by including fire prevention and suppression in economic zones, disaster risk response, and emergency management.