PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA)—The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) heightens focus on four barangays, considered as red zones, as part of pre-fire planning to prevent the occurrence of fire incidents in the city of Puerto Princesa.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Eugene Paul Manuel said factors considered to declare a place under a red zone include population, design, and spaces of structures in the community.
“Bumababa kami sa community para malaman nila na ang bombero ay hindi lang para sa sunog, more on fire prevention. Naging epektibo ang Oplan Bandillo, kaya lang pagdating ng January ay naging kampante ang mga tao,” he said.
The program, known as Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan, concentrates on four barangays, namely Mandaragat, Bagong Sikat, Maunlad, and Masipag. It focuses on educating communities on fire prevention.
The bureau uses its Oplan Bandillo to intensify information campaigns in barangays under the red zone. It is a campaign where they go around different areas of the city to announce fire prevention measures.
Regardless of categorization, BFP encourages all barangays in the city to request for training to equip themselves on fire prevention and firefighting.
From January 2025 to the present, there have been about 15 recorded fire incidents. Electrical issues primarily affect residential structures in the city.
On the other hand, Fire Chief Inspector Angel Lynn Salvador of Puerto Princesa City Fire Station also looks into the spaces for fire trucks in communities as part of pre-fire planning.
“Sinusukat natin from the point kung saan nakapark si firetruck, ilan fire hoses na need namin i-ready, yon din ang kino-consider natin,” Salvador said.
BFP is now in close coordination with barangay officials as a mitigating measure to fire incidents, particularly grass fires that usually occur during the dry season.
“Alam naman nila saan mostly nagkakaroon ng sunog, dapat magkaroon na sila ng preventive measure. Like pagbawas ng talahib—para di na ganon ka-critical,”Manuel said. (RG/PIA MIMAROPA-Palawan)
