ILOILO CITY – A public-private approach to curb fire incidents has been launched due to several major fires this year in highly populated neighborhoods in this city.
MORE Power inspects an area in Iloilo City with illegal electrical connections which have caused some major fire incidents. (MORE Power)
The Iloilo City government is working with MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and barangay officials for the integrated approach to the fire prevention program.
“The city government is working with MORE Power on the integrated approach to fire prevention program,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The four-phase program will identify common causes of fire incidents. These include jumpers, unauthorized load connections, open wirings, substandard service wires, and lack of awareness and negligence.
“The fire incidents in Iloilo City are mostly preventable and due to illegal electric connections,” added Treñas.
In January, 300 houses were gutted in a fire in Barangays West Habog-Habog and San Juan in Molo District and 186 had no electric meters.
Iloilo City Couuncilor Sedfrey Cabaluna had earlier revealed that more than 14,000 households do not have legal electrical connections.
With the program, the city government and the BFP are encouraging residents to avail of legal connections through the MORE Konek program.
MORE Power assured that they will rehabilitate old meters and gather over-extended low-lying wires.