Lacson: The bureau must earn respect from the community

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental gubernatorial candidate, incumbent Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, recently urged Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) provincial director, Fire Superintendent Pamela Rojane Candido, to address complaints filed by residents of Manapla regarding issues surrounding local fire station personnel.

Lacson, who served as guest of honor for the 2019 Fire Summit at the SMX Convention Center at SM City Bacolod yesterday, said the BFP must “earn the respect of the community.”

The vice governor added, he spoke with local residents and stall owners and they are “expecting action” from BFP-Negros Occidental.

The matter stems from a fire that broke out at the Manapla Public Market last month, resulting in damages amounting to P58 million and the destruction of 65 vendor stalls.

At the time of the fire, residents claimed the local BFP did not respond in time, noting, a fire truck from Victorias City arrived on the scene first.

In a subsequent radio interview, Manapla municipal fire marshal, Senior Fire Officer 2 Frankie Guillem, admitted they only had three on-duty personnel at the town’s fire station at the time of the incident as the remaining personnel were asleep.

The provincial government has since provided P6 million in assistance and P20 million for market rehabilitation./DGB, WDJ