CH to buy fire extinguishers

CEBU, Philippines – To ensure an efficient incident response program, the Cebu City Government is buying 6,000 fire extinguishers as recommended by the City Disaster Coordinating Council.

Councilor Joey Daluz, chairman of the committee on budget and finance, said the fire extinguishers will cost the city government P1,800 each or a total of P10.8 million. The amount was included in the Supplemental Budget No. 5 of the city.

Daluz said the fire extinguishers will be distributed to the 80 barangays in the city, public schools and organized neighborhood associations.

The purchase was supposed to be done in May but was deferred after Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña accused then Association of Barangay Council president Eugenio Faelnar of anomalous purchase.

It was Osmeña who ordered the P10-million allocation for fire extinguishers during his term as mayor of the city. But, the former mayor said he heard reports that the fire extinguishers purchased by Faelnar were defective. (FREEMAN)