An aerial view of the fire that burned down houses in Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City on Wednesday night, April 5, 2023. | CCDRRMO photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO) has expressed hopes for the city to become a more fire-safe community by 2024.
In a phone interview with CDN Digital, CCFO information officer and senior fire officer 2 Wendell Villanueva highlighted the CCFO’s commitment to expanding their programs to contribute significantly to the city’s safety and reduce fire incidents.
Villanueva expressed his hopes for the continuous development of the CCFO’s initiatives throughout 2024, ultimately hitting the goal of establishing a fire-safe community. He emphasized their ambition for a year without any fire incidents, stressing the importance of proactive community involvement and support.
“Hopefully by 2024, ato pa nang mapalapdan pa ang atong programa sa Cebu City Fire Station. Unya ma-achieve gyud nato atong goal nga magpuyo ta og fire-safe community. If possible, way sunog gyud nga atong matala unta nga mahitabo sa tuig 2024,” he stated.
Public cooperation
Villanueva added that in order for this to be possible, he emphasized the crucial role of public cooperation.
He underscored the need for community awareness regarding fire prevention measures and the appropriate actions to take in case of a fire. Active participation in the CCFO’s programs, including seminars, drills, and lectures, is essential to building a resilient and well-prepared community.
“Ang key ani is active involvement and cooperation sa publiko ngadto sa bombero og unsa may atong mga programa, unsay among mga paningkamot. We need the full cooperation and your enthusiam to really join kanang atong mga programa: mga seminars, mga drills, mga lectures,” he said.
Villanueva noted the rise in fire incidents in 2023 compared to the previous year, saying that most incidents were swiftly contained upon the arrival of fire personnel, resulting in minimal damages. He attributed this success to the positive impact of their “Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan” program, where firefighters conduct educational sessions on fire safety tips in various barangays.
He stated that this also shows that a significant number of people have been learning from their programs which helped them respond better to fire emergencies. He also recognized the significant contribution of the media in disseminating crucial information to the public.
Achievements and outlook
As 2023 comes to a close, Villanueva expressed gratitude for the numerous accomplishments achieved under the leadership of Fire Superintendent Reynaldo Enoc. These accomplishments included blood-letting and tree-planting activities, as well as various community outreach programs.
“Daghan kitag mga gipanghimo nga mga activities nga makareach out ta sa public. Sa maong paagi, ato nang mapakita nga duna diay mga laing gimbuhaton atong kabomberohan,” added Villanueva.
Looking ahead to 2024, Villanueva assured the public that Cebu City’s fire personnel are prepared to respond promptly to emergency calls.
He emphasized their continuous vigilance in monitoring the safety of all residents and concluded with an optimistic outlook for a fruitful and incident-free 2024.
“Hopefully we will have a fruitful 2024…We are ready for dispatch. Any emergency call, andam mi motubag dayon niana. So rest assured nga inyong kabomberohan, andam. Nakatutok ra gyud mi, nakamonitor ra mi,” said Villanueva. /clorenciana
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