MANILA, Philippines — The number of fire incidents in Metro Manila dipped by almost 12 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2016, the Bureau of Fire Protection in the National Capital Region said Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, BFP-NCR director, said at a command conference at the Napolcom Center that they recorded 1,217 fires from January to March this year, an 11.8 percent drop from last year’s 1,361.
The BFP-NCR also introduced two new programs — Oplan Kalasag (Kahandaan Laban sa Sunog, Gabay sa Kaligtasan), which will feature a door-to-door campaign to remind people of measures to avoid fires as well as fire safety and prevention trainings and seminars in the barangays and with private organizations, and Oplan Agap-Sagip (Agap Sunog, Sagip Buhay), which will improve firefighters’ response including the provision of better protective equipment.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the BFP, Metro Manila Development Authority and volunteer firefighting groups for the designation of “fire lanes” on major thoroughfares. In the case of EDSA, this will be the second innermost lane.
The highlight of the command conference was the launch of a coffee-table book highlighting the agency’s accomplishments last year.