Wanted: Firetrucks for 58 WV towns
Only in the Philippines. And sadly, in Western Visayas where a significant majority of towns here have to either share firetrucks with neighboring towns or wish that the towns be spared of any fire calls.
This, as a top fire official of the region's Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) disclosed the need in at least 58 towns.
The disclosure was made by Fire Inspector Edgar Gallego, chief of logistics of the BFP for Region 6 in an interview over Bombo Radyo Iloilo.
Fire Inspector Gallego said only one town in one Western Visayas province will be aided with the BFP here set to be given an additional one unit of firetruck.
The News Today (TNT) in a follow-up learned that the scenario is worst in the Province of Antique. Out of its 18 towns, 14 is in need of a firetruck. Province of Iloilo is next with 13 of its 42 towns needing one as well and 11 in the Province of Aklan. Grim scenario as well in the Province of Capiz with ten towns here waiting for a firetruck allocation from the national government, eight towns in the Province of Negros Occidental and two of the five towns in the Province of Guimaras.
In Iloilo City, city firetrucks are aided by volunteer fire rescue groups particularly the Iloilo Citizen Action Group (ICAG) and another major organization backed by Filipino-Chinese businessmen.