54 BFP Officials Promoted To Next Higher Rank

The Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Bureau of Fire Protection promoted its 54 officials to one rank higher.

The said BFP officials from different regions took their oath in a ceremony held yesterday morning at the BFP National Headquarters in Quezon City.

Four of them were promoted from the rank of Fire Chief Inspector (Major) to Fire Superintendent (Colonel), 19 Fire Senior Inspectors (Captain) to Fire Chief Inspectors and 31 Fire Inspectors (Lieutenant) are now Fire Senior Inspectors. The newly promoted personnel have been in the fire service for many years and have already proven their worth as committed and dependable public servants.

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BFP Officer-in-Charge CSUPT CARLITO S ROMERO administered the oath taking of the newly-promoted officers after Legal Affairs Services Chief SINSP ARCHIE ANDUMANG read the Bureau Orders indicating their names and rank.

The new BFP Deputy Chief for Administration CSUPT ARIEL A BARAYUGA and Deputy Chief for Operations CSUPT RUBEN F BEARIS JR joined CSUPT ROMERO in the pinning of ranks.

BFP officers, personnel and relatives of the newly-promoted officers witnessed the event.

In his message, CSUPT ROMERO encouraged the newly promoted personnel to be more dedicated and hardworking in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. “Do your job, do it well and be proud of it,” he said.

He further advised them to never stop learning and continue to develop the knowledge and skills they have to improve their performance that will definitely improve the Fire Bureau.

The promotion of officers aims to provide personnel greater responsibilities and authority, and to strengthen the services performed by the BFP-DILG.

DILG Secretary MAR ROXAS extends his congratulations to the newly promoted fire officers.

Firefighters Respond Amidst Glenda’s Wrath

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) goes beyond firefighting, maximizing its manpower and capability as firefighters respond to perilous situations and emergencies at the height of typhoon “Glenda”.

The whole organization was placed on heightened alert before typhoon “Glenda” finally made its landfall in the Bicol Region on the night of July 15.

BFP Officer-in-Charge CSUPT CARLITO S ROMERO issued a Memorandum directing all regional offices and all operating units to implement OPLAN PAGHAHANDANDA LABAN SA SAKUNA (PAGHALASA) in preparation for the possible massive devastation of the typhoon in the country. All officers and key personnel of the agency were on-call anytime in case of emergencies.

BFP operating units especially from regions primarily affected by the typhoon activated their contingency plan and coordinated with the National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), thru their provincial, city and municipal offices, and other concerned government and non-government agencies to strengthen the delivery of fire safety, emergency medical services, rescue and other related operations.

All fire stations and offices maintained vigilance to ensure prompt delivery of rescue and emergency services and relief operations especially to the affected areas by the typhoon. All equipment and auxiliary units were prepared and visible to meet the efficiency of all operations.

BFP personnel have assisted the local government units and the barangay officials during the pre-emptive evacuations of the residents particularly residing in mountainous and coastal areas.

In Bicol Region, BFP R5 Special Rescue Unit assisted in the retrieval operation of the body of a female victim in Ragay, Camarines Sur. When Glenda stopped pummeling Legazpi City, a hostage taking scenario took place in Barangay San Roque where said SRU personnel assisted the authorities by controlling the crowd.

In Region 8, firefighters conducted forced evacuation of residents in Calbayog City, Biliran, Western, Eastern and Northern Samar and Northern Leyte. At least 300 families were evacuated by the BFP R8 personnel. They have also provided first aid and medicines for the evacuees in the designated evacuation centers in the area.

During and after the typhoon, BFP personnel were constantly monitoring the situation in their respective areas. In Region 8, at least one casualty and two missing persons were reported.

As of this moment, different fire stations are continuously conducting clearing operation and water rationing in affected areas.

DILG Reshuffles BFP Officials

The Bureau of Fire Protection National Headquarters (BFP-NHQ) has new Deputy Chief for Administration (DCA) in the person of CSUPT ARIEL A BARAYUGA. CSUPT BARAYUGA was the former Regional Director of BFP Region 3.

CSUPT SAMUEL R PEREZ formally turned-over the duties and responsibilities to CSUPT BARAYUGA yesterday in a ceremony at the BFP National Headquarters in Quezon City. CSUPT PEREZ will now be assigned as Regional Director of Region 12.

Several high ranking officials of the BFP were also reassigned to other unit assignments.

The reshuffle includes SSUPT MARIA SOFIA B MENDOZA, former Director for Operations, BFP-NHQ will be assigned as Regional Director of the BFP-Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR); replacing her is former Cavite Fire Marshal SSUPT ARMANDO B CUSTODIO; former Director for Personnel, BFP-NHQ SSUPT JOSELITO A QUIBIN is the new Assistant Regional Director for Administration of BFP R8; replacing SSUPT QUIBIN is former BFP Region 1 Assistant Regional Director for Administration SSUPT LEONARD M CONSOLACION; SSUPT LEONIDES P PEREZ is relieved as BFP-NHQ Director for Logistics and reassigned as the District 2 Fire Marshal, BFP-NCR; former Region 1 Director SSUPT ALOVEEL B FERRER is the new Director of Region 3; replacing SSUPT FERRER is former Region 4B Director SSUPT LORENZO DS DE GUIA; former BFP Region 11 Assistant Regional Director for Administration SSUPT LOUIE S PURACAN is the new Director of Region 4B; SSUPT SERGIO M SORIANO is now OIC Regional Director of the BFP-NCR; SSUPT SAMUEL M JAMIAS is Regional Chief Directorial Staff, BFP-NCR; SSUPT LEONARDO M BAÑAGO is the new Regional Director of BFP-R2; SSUPT FENNIMORE V JAUDIAN is now in detailed service at the office of the Officer-in-Charge, BFP-NHQ; SUPT LILIBETH Q SIMANGAN will be the Acting Director for Logistics, BFP-NHQ and SUPT FELIXBERTO F ABRENICA is the new District Fire Marshal of District 4, BFP-NCR.

The said reassignment and designation of BFP senior officers took effect last July 11, 2014 thru Department Order 2014-954 signed by ATTY. PETER IRVING C. CORVERA, DILG Undersecretary for Public Safety.

BFP Absorbs 422 New Firefighters

The Bureau of Fire Protection absorbed 422 new firefighters with the rank of Fire Officer 1 (FO1) after successfully passing the qualifications and the recruitment processes intended for the position.

The first and second batch of recruits took their oath last Tuesday while the rest of the recruits took their oath yesterday at the BFP National Headquarters in Quezon City.

Oath Taking of New Firefighters

As of today, more than 70 recruits are still on the process of complying some of the requirements to finally complete the 500 FO1 quota in the National Headquarters alone.

BFP Officer-in-Charge CSUPT CARLITO S ROMERO administered the oath taking of the newly-absorbed FO1. Fire officials, personnel and families of the recruits witnessed the event.

In his speech, General Romero emphasized the benefits as well as the struggles of being a firefighter. He said that being a firefighter requires mental, emotional and physical strength and stability in order to perform different tasks efficiently. “Remember, you are not civilians anymore. You are no longer ordinary persons. You are now extraordinary because people will be relying on you. From now on, you will save lives,” he added.

The said recruits will be distributed to BFP regional offices nationwide to render On-the-Job training while waiting for the schedule of Fire Basic Recruit Course at the National Fire Training Institute in Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, Laguna.

When all the recruits have complied the said mandatory training, they will be assigned to fire stations that are being constructed in different parts of the country.

The Fire Bureau will conduct another set of recruitment before the end of this year for continuous augmentation of the organization’s workforce.

The said recruitment is one of the priority programs of DILG Secretary MAR ROXAS to support the modernization program of the BFP that will address the demand of quality and reliable fire protection and safety services.