DILG to firefighters: Stop selling extinguishers

Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday ordered the Bureau of Fire Protection to stop practices that could become sources of corruption, and look into reports that some of its personnel have been selling fire extinguishers and suppressants to building owners who apply for fire safety certificates. “If reports are true, this will constitute illegal and/or immoral pecuniary interest, which will duly affect the integrity of the BFP and the Department," Robredo said. Robredo also said that requiring an assessment report before awarding a fire safety inspection certificate (FSIC) must be stopped, saying it could be a source of corruption. In his directive to the BFP, Robredo said it should suspend its requirement of Fire and Life Safety Assessment Report (FALAR) after he was informed that some fire officials have "volunteered to prepare" the report in exchange for a payment. “This is contrary to this administration’s advocacy of honest governance," the DILG secretary stressed. Robredo also argued that Republic Act 9514 or the Fire Code of the Philippines does not require applicants to get a FALAR before obtaining an FSIC. A FALAR report includes compilations of the building's design approach, a structure's fire protection safety features, as well as building records from a company's engineering and maintenance departments. “Since RA 9514 made no mention of the FALAR requirement, plus the fact that the same law has already institutionalized FSIC requirements, requiring the submission of the FALAR would only be a surplusage," he said. The newly-appointed Interior secretary has already ordered BFP chief F/Dir. Rolando Bandilla to move for the repeal of the FALAR requirement, which was provided under the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9514. BFP records show that the FALAR pre-requisite was started in December 2005 under the term of then Fire Director Rogelio Asignado.—Mark D. Merueñas/JV, GMANews.TV