EDITORIAL - Still underequipped

It’s been nearly a decade since the death in a fire of the teenage daughter of then speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. led to official vows to upgrade the nation’s firefighting capability. For some time there was a burst of effort in this direction, and government firefighters did receive some upgrade in their equipment.

Today, however, the nation’s 13,272 firefighters lack the most basic equipment to do their job, including fireproof gloves, trousers, coats and helmets. This is according to a report released recently by the Commission on Audit, which also found that the Bureau of Fire Protection has only 1,943 fire trucks, of which 208 belong to local government units.

Of the 1,735 BFP trucks, only 1,516 are serviceable, 55 are undergoing repairs and 77 are beyond repair, according to the COA report. Even if firefighters can hitch a ride on trucks owned by private volunteer organizations and individuals, they may be unable to perform their tasks efficiently for lack of protective clothing. The COA report noted that 9,881 firefighters lack fireproof gloves; 9,777 lack special trousers; 8,236 do not have boots; 7,454 lack fire coats and 7,044 do not have helmets.

The problem is not lack of funding, although the annual appropriations are limited. The COA noted that efforts to procure additional fire trucks and firefighting gear have been derailed by questions raised on the bidding and procurement process.

With the summer months approaching, the nation is once again bracing for fires particularly in crowded urban areas. Firefighters may be able to arrive quickly at the scene, but without the necessary equipment, it will take a long time to put out even minor blazes. There are funds, unutilized, for some of the needed equipment. What is needed is an efficient and transparent system of bidding and procurement. Surely this is not an impossible task for the administration of daang matuwid.