Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘’Bong’’ Go has filed a bill that seeks the modernization of the country’s Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2019 aims to develop the BFP, ensure public safety by preventing such incidents and in suppressing all kinds of destructive fires.
Consistent with his desire to be at the service of fire victims, Senator Go has the welfare and protection of the people in mind. Hence, among the first measures he has filed as a lawmaker is ensuring this time the increase of fire prevention readiness and awareness. Among the aims of the measure is to increase the number of BFP personnel, to provide adequate training and to buy equipment needed by firefighters. The bill also inclused Fire Protection Services and fire rescue hotlines to be established in each local government unit (LGU) in the country.
In order to push towards modernization, the bill calls for the phase-out of old and obsolete major equipment and will be replaced by new equipment.
While the intention of the neophyte lawmaker may be noble, there is a need to look at the modernization program which the BFP has embarked for the past eight years and resulted to this deplorable state–the very reason why Senator Go is filing the measure. How can we do another modernization program after failing in one?
The Commission on Audit (COA) early this year declared that the 8-year modernization program of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has failed. For the record, the modernization program was launched in 2010, and it was released with a total of P13.17-billion budget from 2011 to 2017. COA was compelled to do a performance audit because despite the program, the country still registered 96,447 fire incidents from 2011 to 2017 which resulted in 1,924 deaths, 5,750 injuries, and P31.06 billion in property damage. As of June 30, 2018, the BFP only completed 263 out of its target 945 fire stations which means there are still a backlog of 308 municipalities without a fire station.
Among other things COA found out include 11 abandoned construction projects out of the 44 ongoing construction of fire stations, procurement of only 621 trucks out of the target 1,057, 176 out of the 469 fire trucks delivered in 2015 already had defects as of the following year, and failure of the BFP to have clear agreements with local governments resulting in 34% of barangays visited by COA found to have no organized fire brigades.
By conclusion, COA doubts that the BFP can fulfill its deliverables under the Modernization Program by 2020.
Given these premises, if another modernization plan is to be made, an audit of the 8-year modernization plan must be done first before the government
