Calizo cmte tackles policy paper on prevention of loss of life, damage to property in Oro’s fire-pro

THE City Council committee on public order and safety chaired by Councilor Romeo V. Calizo last week discussed the position paper of the USTP – Center for Inclusive Development Studies entitled: “Policy Intervention for the Prevention of Loss of Life

and Damage to Property in Fire-Prone Areas of Cagayan de Oro City”.

The study was conducted by Francis Thaise A. Simene, Horacio Factura III, Alan N. Aladano, Mibzar L. Buko with Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya, as co-researcher.

Its objective was to identify the prevalence of fire incidence in the fire-prone areas of the city and its estimated cost of damage for the years 2018 to 2020.

It was also conducted to determine barangays in fire-prone areas, to investigate the top ten causes of fire and to use the results as the basis for policy interventions which shall be forwarded to the City Council for appropriate action.

According to the researchers, there’s a need for a national consciousness and involvement of all persons in the intervention and suppression of fires.

While the strict implementation of RA 9514 or the Fire Code of the Philippines is expected to affect the meaningful reduction of the alarming fire losses, the study assumes that there are several factors influencing its implementation.

FIGURES

According to the study, there were 523 fire incidents in fire-prone areas from 2018 to 2020.

The study also revealed that the top ten causes of fire are electrical short circuit (33.2-percent), rubbish fire (21.9-percent), electric post-fire (17.3 percent), unattended light candle (8.8 percent), LPG leak (5.1 percent), unattended cooking (5.1 percent), discarded lighted candle (3.6 percent), electrical connection causing vehicular fire (2.2 percent), and child playing with matches (2.2 percent).

With the electrical short circuit as the leading cause of fire, the paper cites the need to require households to install a circuit breaker to protect home appliances. Wear and tear of electrical wires of some home appliances due to long years of usage is one possible cause of electrical short circuit, the researchers suggested.

For the past three years, 2020 recorded the lowest number of fire incidents, 134 or 25.1 percent with an estimated cost of damage of P25,502,500. Barangay Carmen registered the highest number of fire incidents for the last three years with a total of 160 out of 533 and damages of P4,234,300.

There are eight fire stations serving the 30 urban barangays considered as fire-prone areas in the city. These include the Cogon Fire Station having the largest number of clustered barangays under its jurisdiction followed by Macabalan and Puerto fire stations with eight and five clustered barangays, respectively. The rest of the fire stations are in barangays Lapasan, Carmen, Nazareth, Kauswagan and Bulua.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The paper recommended the forging of a Memorandum of Agreement between and among the city government, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Liga Ng Mga Barangay on the proper implementation of the Philippine Electrical Code.

The creation of an oversight committee was also recommended to be chaired by a representative from OBO, BFP and the barangay as members.

The researchers also proposed the enactment of an ordinance strictly imposing the quality specifications of circuit breakers and other related electrical installations which will eventually serve as the guide and basis along with the other requirements set for the issuance of electrical permits, among others.

To achieve and further this intention, OBO, BFP and CDRRMD were requested to submit to the committee their respective requisites, inputs and suggestions relative to the study.