Republic of the Whilippines REE F, 2 a
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MIE ag
Quezon City ME at
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS <

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2546

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Despite the passage of Republic Act No. 9514, or the “Fire Code of the Philippines” in
2008, the Bureau of Fire Protection has reported an increase in fire incidents in 2018
along with casualties of 200 people caught in fire accidents.

The Fire Code of the Philippines was to be the principal law that helped prevent and
suppress destructive fires in the country. It also aimed for the professionalization of
the fire service as a profession and encourage an increase of firefighters. However,
as of 2017, the Commission on Audit reported the lack of less than half the ideal
number of firefighters in the country.

Despite calls by the BFP to hire more personnel, the Department of Budget and
Management only approved 2,000 of the 10,000 requested hired personnel. The BEP
is also short of fire trucks—39% of which was acquired during 1950 to 1999—and
lacks self-contained breathing apparatus devices, a crucial equipment for rescuers.
Almost 400 municipalities in the country do not have their own fire trucks.

The proposed measure seeks to address these pressing concerns for fire prevention
through the establishment of a Fire Protection Modernization Program. The program
would include hiring of more personnel, acquiring modem fire equipment, trainings for
firefighters, and the provision of the appropriate budget for this undertaking.


In the hopes of preventing fire incidents, and stopping the unfortunate increase of fire-
related deaths nationwide, this representation files this counterpart bill to Senator
Bong Go's version in the Senate for a safer Philippines.

The approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

LUIS RA’ IND, \Y” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Que3on City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. eee

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING AND MODERNIZING THE BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Fire Protection
Modernization Act of 2019.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - \t is the policy of the State to develop the Bureau
of Fire Protection (BFP), ensure public safety through the prevention of and
suppression of all kinds of destructive fires with the active support of the community.
Towards this end, the State shall implement a Fire Protection Modernization Program.

SECTION 3. Additional Functions of the BFP. - Aside from its existing functions
under Republic Act No 9514 and Republic Act No. 6975, the BFP shall be have the
following functions:

a) Be responsible for the prevention and suppression of all destructive fires on
buildings, houses and other structures, including those found in economic
zones including agro-industrial economic zones, free ports and special
economic zones, IT parks/centers, manufacturing economic zones, medical
tourism parks/centers, tourism economic zone, and other similar entities;

b) Establish and maintain regional arson laboratories and research and testing
facilities with complete equipment;


c) Respond to disasters, whether manmade or natural, and respond to other
emergencies, including rescue, emergency medical, hazardous materials
(hazmat), chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE)
materials, and other emergencies;

d) Conduct monthly fire prevention campaigns and information drive in alll local

government units, particularly in informal settler areas and economically-

depressed areas, in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local

Government (DILG); and

Require the building owner to submit plans and specifications of the said

building and other pertinent documents as may be determined by BFP and

evaluate the same to ensure compliance with the Fire Code and other
applicable codes and standards. For this purpose, a fire safety evaluation
clearance shall be issued as a prerequisite for the issuance of the building

permit.

SECTION 4. Fire Protection Modernization Program. - The Bureau of Fire
Protection, in coordination with the DILG, shall establish and implement a Fire
Protection Modemization Program which shall consist of the following components:
a) Fire Protection Service - The modernization program shall include the
establishment of Fire Protection Service (FPS) in all local government units with
no existing fire protection services, and the establishment of rescue hotlines in
all local government units;
Force restructuring and organizational development. — The modernization
program shall develop the BFP into a compact, efficient, responsive and
modern with the capability to implement Republic Act No. 9514 otherwise
known as the Fire Code of the Philippines. The BFP, within ninety (90) days

b)

from the promulgation of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of this
Act, shall recommend and submit to the Secretaries of DILG and Department
of Budget and Management the revised organizational structure and staffing
pattern for officers and personnel of the BFP. The revised organizational
structure shall include all the offices of the BFP, the Fire Training Service, and
the BFP Central and Regional Hospitals. The BFP shall design and establish
qualifications upgrading program for the BFP officers and personnel in
accordance with the Civil Service Commission rules and regulations;


) Capability, material, and technology development - The modernization program
shall upgrade existing fire protection equipment and services and acquire of
new equipment for fire protection: Provided, That the acquisition of new
equipment shall be synchronized with the phase-out of uneconomical and
obsolete major equipment and weapons systems in the BFP inventory;

d

Specialized services development - The modernization program shall establish
specialized fire protection services within the BFP such as but not limited to;
high-rise building fires, forest fires, aircraft/airport fires, ship fires, chemical

fires, disaster rescue services, emergency medical services, and the like; and
e

Human resource development - The modernization program shall include
trainings for BFP personnel, and establish training facilities, hire internationally
accredited training consultants and advisers if experts of equal qualification
cannot be secured locally, to accelerate the personnel development program.
All newly appointed uniformed personnel of the BFP shall undergo a Mandatory
Training Program.

Within one hundred eighty (180) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary
of DILG and the head of the BFP shall submit the details of the Fire Protection
Modernization Program to Congress.

SECTION 5. Multi-Year Contracts or Other Contractual Arrangement. - The
Secretary of Interior and Local Government may, subject to the approval of the
President, under provisions of existing laws and regulations including those of the
Commission on Audit and under such terms and conditions favorable to the
government, enter into multi-year contracts or other contractual agreements with local
or foreign 6 suppliers/contractors in the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 6. Annual Report. - The BFP shall submit to the Office of the President and
Congress, through the Secretary of Interior and Local Government, an annual report
containing the process and status of the implementation of the Fire Protection
Modernization Program.

SECTION 7. Period of Implementation. — The Fire Protection Modernization

Program under this Act, shall be implemented over a period of three (3) years effective


upon the date of the approval of this Act: Provided, That payments for amortization of
outstanding multi-year contract, obligations incurred under the modernization program
may extend beyond this period.

SECTION 8. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of
this Act shall be sourced from the BFP modernization trust fund as provided for in
Republic Act No. 9514. An additional amount of Five Billion Pesos
(P5,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to be included in the General
Appropriations Act of the year immediately following the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from the
approval of this Act, the BFP and DILG shall promulgate the rules and regulations
necessary to implement the provisions of this Act

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - Any portion or provision of this Act that is
declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions or

provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and be given
effect in their entirety.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, other

issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed
or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,