The P2.8 billion allocated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will be a big boost in equipping a total of 110 municipalities with fire trucks and fire stations, the Bureau Fire Protection (BFP) said.
BFP spokesperson Senior Supt. Annalee Atienza said the fund will also be used in the procurement of firefighting gears and personal protective equipment (PPE) as part of the 10-year modernization program.
In the nationwide recapitulation of fire incidents, Atienza noted 10,996 fire incidents from Jan. 1, 2024 to June 10, 2024 compared to the 8,182 fire occurrences in the same period of last year for an increase of 34.4 percent.
She disclosed the majority of the fire incident cases are from residential occupancy due to open flames caused by rubbish fires, smoking and open flame from agricultural and clearing operations.
The BFP said that the damage to property caused by the latest fire incidents reached P4,895,568,663 , which is lower by 2.7 percent from last year’s record of P5,030,571,840.32.
During the same period, the BFP said that there were 702 fire incidents in the National Capital Region (NCR) compared to the 1,707 fire incidents last year for a percentage difference of -58.9.
In the “Kalingang Bumbero Program’’, Atienza explained that the BFP will provide a “hotline’’ that intends to provide assistance to individuals with mental health issues.
Atienza noted the programs addresses the problem of suicides, which has increased by a 15 percent in the last decade.
The pandemic period aggravated the suicide numbers with the recorded 3,529 suicide cases nationwide in 2020.
In 2023, the BFP Special Rescue Force-NCR has rescued 31 victims attempting to commit suicide.
With around 114 mental health professionals in the BFP-NCR, the Kalingang Bumbero Hotline is poised to assist the national Center for mental health in helping out vulnerable citizens during their distress conditions.
Last May 27, the BFP-NCR and the NCMH signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that launched the Kalingang Bumbero (Kaibigan sa Linyang Gagabayan ng Bumbero) in a bid to address the rising number of suicide cases in the country.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur’’ Abalos Jr. commended the BFP and the NCMH for coming out with the approach that will help reduce the cases of mental health concerns.
During the launching, Abalos stressed the need for every individual to be strong and determined enough in dealing with problems in life.
“Walang taong walang hamon sa buhay. Ang tanong kung paano malalagpasan ng tao ang hamon na ito (There is no person without challenges in life. The question is how can the person overcome this challenge),’’ Abalos noted.
With the signing of the MOA, Abalos said that the BFP and the NCMH will now team up to address mental health problems which would focus on prevention, adding that “hindi na kailangang hintayin na lumala pa (there is no need for this to worsen).”
BFP-NCR Director Chief Supt. Nahum Tarroza explained that the MOA is all about the NCHM extending its expertise to the BFP in handling cases of individuals suffering from mental illness.
Under the MOA, the NCMH is mandated to provide a comprehensive range of quality mental health services to expand its capacity for research and development of interventions in mental, neurological and psychological services in the country.
On the other hand, the BFP is tasked to save lives and properties and must effectively implement programs, projects, and services that will promote public safety to every Filipino.
Tarroza said that the BFP-NCR will soon come out with the Kalingang Bumbero Hotline service in response to the increasing number of suicide incidents.