Kapit bisig sa tulungan

DILG to tap Chinese-Filipinos as firefighters



By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:22:00 01/03/2011

Filed Under: Government, Fire


MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Interior and Local Government is looking at tapping Chinese-Filipino communities in towns and cities to help address the lack of fire trucks and other fire equipment.
Particularly, the DILG will ask help in putting up fire stations in provinces that lack fire trucks. Secretary Jesse Robredo cited as example Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, where a fire at a budget hotel left 16 people killed.
Records of the DILG show that there are 689 towns in the country with no fire trucks. The official is set to meet with volunteer fire fighters next week to lay out the proposal.
"Ideally, we are looking at urban centers or areas where Filipino-Chinese businessmen have businesses to put up a fire station," Robredo told a news conference.