Bautista approves fire hydrant ordinance

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has approved an ordinance ensuring the installation, repair, and maintenance of all fire hydrants in the city.

Authored by third district councilor Franz Pumaren, the measure mandated the city engineering department to conduct a survey of all public roads in the city to ensure that there are enough fire hydrants and that they are in good working condition.

The ordinance was approved on Nov. 28 and released last week.

The measure also mandated home-owners’ associations to conduct similar surveys in their respective villages or subdivision.

In case there are not enough fire hydrants, the city engineering department or the homeowners’ associations should coordinate with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the installation of new hydrants.

The MWSS is mandated by the ordinance to fund and implement the provisions of the new measure.

“The local government of Quezon City must act with urgency to protect the lives of the people in case of fire, especially in areas where fire trucks are unable to navigate due to narrow roads,” it read.

“Millions worth of properties are affected in such cases wherein fires are not expeditiously extinguished,” the measure added.

Under the ordinance, villages or subdivisions that fail to comply with its provisions will be fined P2,000.