Bill modernizing fire protection bureau up for plenary debate

MANILA, Philippines - A bill seeking to modernize the fire protection bureau has passed the committee level and will be up for plenary debate when Congress resumes session Nov. 10. If passed into law, House Bill 5228 will create an P8-billion Fire Protection Modernization Trust Fund, according to an article on the House of Representatives website. The bill is in line with state policy to ensure public safety and promote economic development by stopping destructive fires that result in loss of lives and property. It aims to modernize and adequately equip the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and make sure it is manned by competent and highly motivated personnel. Also, it aims to acquire basic and modern firefighting equipment and facilities, especially in the local government units. Under the proposal, the Fire Protection Modernization Program (FPMP) shall have key components to be implemented over a period of three years. These include the establishment of Fire Protection Services (FPS) in the 741 local government units with no existing fire protection services; upgrading of existing fire protection services; Establishment of specialized fire protection and rescue services within the BFP necessary to suppress fires in high-rise buildings, forests, aircrafts, airports, ships, or chemical-related fires, and in the conduct of disaster rescue, emergency and medical services and similar contingencies; and Establishment of training facilities, including the hiring of internationally accredited training consultants and advisers in case of non-availability of local experts of equal qualifications, in order to accelerate the personnel development in the BFP. The P8-billion trust fund shall be sourced from the following: all collections for the fire code tax, fire code fees and all other fines, fees and charges collected as authorized under existing laws; amount appropriated in the annual General Appropriations Act for the BFP Modernization Program; and grants, donations, bequests and assistance of all kinds from local and foreign sources. Also, the bill provides that the Department of Interior and Local Government, subject to the approval of the President, laws and regulations, including those of the Commission on Audit, and such terms favorable to the government, may enter into multi-year contracts, lease or lease-purchase agreements or other contractual arrangements with local or foreign suppliers or contractors in implementing the proposal once it becomes a law. It also provides that the DILG whenever feasible shall include in each contract or agreement special foreign exchange reduction schemes such as barter, counter trade, in-country manufacture, co-production, build-operate-transfer or innovative arrangements or a combination thereof. These schemes are meant to reduce foreign exchange outflow, generate local employment and enhance technology transfer according to lawmakers. Also, the bill provides that the DILG shall submit an annual report to the President and Congress on the status of the FPMP and its trust fund. The authors of House Bill 5228, which substitutes House Bill 383, include Reps. Roilo Golez (Parañaque), Rodolfo Antonino (Nueva Ecija), Junie Cua (Quirino) and Edcel Lagman (Albay). Antonino chairs the Committee on Public Order and safety while Cua chairs the Committee on Appropriations, which jointly endorsed the bill for plenary approval. - GMANews.TV