Newly-appointed Bacolod City fire marshall, Fire Chief Inspector Pobleo Ploteña, ordered the local Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to conduct safety inspections of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, or call centers, in the city, following last month’s fire at the New City Commercial Center (NCCC) in Davao City, which left 38 people dead, most of which were call center employees.

During a courtesy call to Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) yesterday, he explained BPO firms will be checked for fire suppression capabilities, such as automatic sprinkler systems; and fire detection systems, which would alert building occupants and direct them towards an emergency exit.

He also wants to ensure all establishments have operational and well-maintained fire exits.

For the mayor, he emphasized the importance of the inspections, noting the estimated 28,000-strong BPO workforce generates billions in income for the city./DGB, WDJ