MANILA, Philippines - Fire fighters will be more efficient in rescue operations under a measure approved by the House committee on ways and means.
A still unnumbered consolidated measure seeks to amend the Fire Code by providing more funds to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and imposing stiffer penalties on violators.
Under the proposed amendments, a violator will be penalized by an administrative fine of not exceeding P50,000 from the current ceiling of P12,000; stoppage of operations; or closure of noncompliant buildings, structures, and facilities.
Those who fail to correct deficiencies shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than six years, or by a fine of not more than P100,000 from the current ceiling of P20,000, or both imprisonment and fine.
In a hearing last week, the authors of the bill, members of the committee and representatives of the BFP agreed to allow local BFP units to retain 20% of total collection from fees and fines, and 80% will go to the central BFP office, to be distributed to poorer BFP units.
The measure will still be tackled by the committee on appropriations due to the increase in the BFP budget.
There was also a proposal to increase the allowable amount of service fee charged by the BFP, which now stand at a maximum of P8,000.
Early this year, Interior Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno has asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to certify as priority bills those that seek to modernize the BFP.
Data from Department of Budget and Management showed that from 2000-2006, the BFP budget was only between P3 and P3.5 million.
It was only last year when the agencys budget was increased to almost P4.5 million.
This year, the BFP requested a P12-billion budget but the DBM only allotted P4 billion, said Superintendent Enrique Linsangan, BFP officer-in-charge.
He said 82% of the budget will go to the salary of fire fighters, 15% for operations and only 3% for buying new facilities and safety gears.
Low protection capability
Of the 1,494 municipalities nationwide, only 827 have protection capability, according to the latest record of the BFP presented during the hearing.
The BFP needs a minimum of 667 units of fire trucks to comply with its mandate of establishing at least one fire station in each local government unit nationwide.
It has an existing fleet of 1,629 fire trucks of which 1,272 are operational while the remaining 357 are either under repair or beyond economic repair.
The bureau has a total manpower complement of 16,227 uniformed, non-uniformed and civilian personnel and requires a total of 29,220 fire fighters.
The consolidated measure was authored by Cotabato Rep. Darlene R. Antonino-Custodio (1st district), Sorsogon Rep. Salvador H. Escudero III (1st district), and Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo W. Antonino (4th district). - Elizabeth T. Marcelo, BusinessWorld