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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 4422

Introduced by Representative Jorge Antonio P. Bustos

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The increasing population and economic activity in the country have
increased the need for a more responsive and strong safety standards and
prevention measures that will prevent, mitigate, and lessen industrial and
residential damage caused by fires, accidents, and other disasters causing
injuries and deaths to human lives and damage to property.

Traditionally, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is the leading agency
tasked to prevent and suppress all destructive fires. However, through the
years, the BFP has evolved from just being a fire prevention agency, responder
to fire emergencies, and investigator of the same, to a responder to medical and
rescue emergencies including disasters and other forms of emergencies.

The BFP has been busy with its medical responses, whether they are fire
related or not. Just in 2017, the bureau responded to a total of five thousand nine
hundred ninety-six (5,996) medical emergencies. Nine hundred forty-eight
(948) of which were fire-related, two thousand four hundred forty-seven (2,447)
were purely medical emergencies, two thousand five hundred thirty-seven
(2,537) were road accident related, and sixty-four (64) were disaster related.

With regard to disaster preparedness and response, the BFP has also been
active in mobilizing its units in the clearing operations of roads and rivers,
emergency evacuation of families, and distribution of relief supplies in areas ,
which are heavily affected by the typhoons. An important participation of the
BFP during disaster was seen after the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda of 2013.
The BFP is proud that it is at the forefront of the aftermath of the disasters, from


start to the end, retrieving corpses and giving assistance to the people through
its limited amenities.

Clearly, the BFP has been performing more than what it is mandated to do.
Thus, for operational efficiency, there is need for a law to implement a program
that would expand the powers and functions of BFP and upgrade its manpower
requirement to support the growing need of the populace for a fire and
emergency medical and rescue services agency that responds to the hazards of
destructive fires, accidents, and other man-made and natural disasters and other
emergencies.

The continuously growing population of the country has also increased the
need for additional firefighters. As of the 2015 census, the Philippine population
is already 100,981,437. Thus, considering that Section 5 of PD 1184 of 1977
requires that there should be one (1) fireman for every 2,000 population, there
should be a total of 50,491 firefighters in the frontline operations of the BFP as
of 2015. However, at present, there are only a total of 8,238 personnel who are
functioning as firefighters which show the great need to upgrade the responding
force along with the ranks of the officers and personnel.

Likewise, it is worth mentioning that the BFP is among the uniformed
services of the country which include, among others, the Philippine National
Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine
Coast Guard (PCG). However, unlike the other uniformed services whose
highest ranks are all equivalent to a four-star general, the highest ranking officer
of the BFP is only equivalent to a two-star general. Thus, considering the
principle of equality, it is just proper that the officers of the BFP should be at
par with those of their counterparts in the PNP, AFP, and PCG.

Originally, the BFP and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
(BJMP) were constituted in Chapters IV and V respectively in Republic Act No.
6975, otherwise known as the “Department of Interior and Local Government
Act of 1990.” Then, Republic Act No. 9263, otherwise known as the “Bureau of
Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
Professionalization Act of 2004,” amended Chapters IV and V of Republic Act
No. 6975 by providing the professionalization of the BFP and BIMP.

\


In order to strengthen the BFP by increasing its powers and functions, and
expanding and rationalizing its organizational structure, this proposed measure
seeks to provide a charter solely and exclusively for the BFP. Thus, Sections 53
to 59 of Republic Act No. 6955 are hereby repealed and the governing
provisions on BFP under Republic Act No. 9263 are hereby transferred and
incorporated in the proposed charter.

As the BFP had declared its mission of committing to prevent and suppress
destructive fires, investigate its causes, enforce the Fire Code of the Philippines
and other related laws, and respond to man-made and natural disasters and other
emergencies, there is a need for more manpower to correspond to that
expansion of the mandate and the population growth, hence, the need for
Congress to approve this measure.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is highly
recommended.

CONG. JOR’ ss | Saas


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _4422

Introduced by Representative Jorge Antonio P. Bustos

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 “Charter of the
Bureau of Fire Protection Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — \t is the policy of the State to strengthen
the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and ensure public safety through the
effective prevention and suppression of all kinds of destructive fires, investigate
its causes, enforce the Fire Code of the Philippines and other related laws,
conduct rescue in times of man-made and natural disasters, and respond to other
emergencies involving hazardous materials (hazmat), including chemical,
biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) materials.

Toward this end, the State shall provide the BFP with expanded structure,
capability and manpower, particularly by upgrading its rank to be responsive to
the demands of the times and to make the agency at par with those of the
Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the
Philippine Coast Guard.

SEC. 3. Bureau of Fire Protection. — The Bureau of Fire Protection

(BFP) is hereby strengthened by increasing its powers and functions, and


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expanding and rationalizing its organizational structure as constituted in
Republic Act No. 6975, also known as the “Department of the Interior and
Local Government Act of 1990,” as amended by Republic Act No. 9263, also
known as the “Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology Professionalization Act of 2004.”

SEC. 4. Powers and Functions. — The BFP shall exercise the following
powers and functions:

a) Take primary responsibility on prevention and suppression of all
destructive fires on buildings, houses and other structures, including those found
in agro-industrial economic zones, free ports and special economic zones,
information technology parks or centers, manufacturing economic zones,
medical tourism parks or centers, tourism economic zone, and other similar
entities, forest, land transportation vehicles and equipment, ships or vessels
docked at piers or wharves or anchored in major seaports, petroleum industry
installations, airports, plane crashes and other similar incidents, as well as the
enforcement of the Fire Code of the Philippines and other related laws;

b) Investigate all causes of fires and, if necessary, file the proper
complaints with the city or provincial prosecutor who has jurisdiction over the
case;

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

d) Conduct rescues at times of disasters, whether man-made or
natural, and respond to other emergencies, involving hazardous materials
(hazmat), including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive
(CBRNE) materials, and other emergencies;

e) Establish and maintain state-of-the-art apparatus and equipment to
be used in emergency rescue and response, medical, hazmat, and other similar

emergencies.


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f) Conduct trainings of its personnel and officers pertaining to fire
prevention and suppression, investigation, disaster preparedness, rescue,
emergency medical, hazmat, CBRNE, and other operations;

g) Request the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP),
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), or any other agency of the government,
including government-owned or controlled corporations, in exercising its
powers and functions;

h) Enter into any contract or transaction for the acquisition,
ownership, possession, use, administration, lease, disposition, or acceptance of
real or personal property in its name; and

i) Perform such other functions as the President or the Secretary of
the Interior and Local Government may assign.

SEC. 5. Organization and Key Positions of the BFP. — The organization
of the BFP shall be composed of a national headquarters, regional headquarters,
provincial headquarters, district headquarters, city and municipal fire stations.

The BFP shall be headed by a Chief who shall be assisted by two (2)
deputy chiefs, one (1) for administration and one (1) for operations, all of whom
shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of
the Interior and Local Government from among the qualified officers with at
least the rank of Fire Major General in the service: Provided, That in no case
shall any officer who has retired or is retirable within six (6) months from the
compulsory retirement age be appointed as Chief of the Fire Bureau, The Chief
of the Fire Bureau shall serve a tour of duty not to exceed four (4) years. In
times of war or other national emergency declared by Congress, the President
may extend such tour of duty.

The head of the BFP with the rank of Fire General shall have the position
title of Chief of the Fire Bureau. The second officer in command of the BFP
with rank of Fire Lieutenant General shall have the position title of Deputy

Chief for Administration of the Fire Bureau. The third officer in command of


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the BFP with the rank of Fire Lieutenant General shall have the position title of
Deputy Chief for Operations of the Fire Bureau. The fourth officer in command
of the BFP with the rank of Fire Lieutenant General shall have the position title
of Chief Directorial Staff of the Fire Bureau who shall be assisted by the
directors of the directorates in the national headquarters office with at least the
rank of Fire Major General.

At the regional level, there shall be an Office of the Regional Director in
each of the administrative regions of the country which shall implement the
policies, plans, and programs of the BFP; and monitor, evaluate and coordinate
the operations and activities of the fire service operating units at the provincial
levels. The Regional Office shall be headed by a Regional Director for Fire
Protection with the rank of Fire Brigadier General. For the National Capital
Region, the Regional Director shall have the rank of Fire Major General. The
Regional Director shall be assisted by the following officers with the rank of
Fire Colonel: Deputy Regional Director for Administration, Deputy Regional
Director for Operations, and Regional Chief of Staff. For the National Capital
Region, all deputies shall have the rank of Fire Brigadier General.

At the provincial level, there shall be an Office of the Provincial Director
for fire protection in each province of the country which shall also implement
the policies, plans, and programs of the BFP; and monitor, evaluate and
coordinate the operations and activities of the fire service operating units at the
city and municipal levels. It shall be headed by a Provincial Director with the
rank of Fire Colonel.

In the case of large provinces, BFP District Headquarters may be
established, to be headed by a District Director with the rank of Fire Brigadier
General.

At the city or municipal level, there shall be a fire station, each headed by a
City Fire Marshall with the rank of Fire Colonel and Municipal Fire Marshall
with the rank of Fire Major. In the case of highly urbanized cities, BFP District


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Headquarters with subordinate fire stations to be headed by a District Director
with the rank of Fire Brigadier General may be organized as necessary.

The fire station shall be equipped with necessary personnel, firefighting
facilities, and equipment in every provincial capital, city and municipality
subject to the standards, rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the
DILG. The LGU shall provide the necessary site of the fire station. In case the
LGU cannot provide for the site, the BFP shall have the authority to acquire or
purchase real property in all cities or municipalities for the establishment of fire
central and sub-stations.

SEC. 6. Professionalization and Upgrading of Qualification Standards
in the Appointment of Uniformed Personnel to the BFP. —No person shall be
appointed as uniformed personnel of the BFP unless the person possesses the
following minimum qualifications:

a) A citizen of the Republic of the Philippines;

b) A person of good moral character;

©) Must have passed the psychiatric or psychological, drug. and
physical tests for the purpose of determining the physical and mental health;

d) Must possess a baccalaureate degree from a recognized institution
of learning;

e) Must possess the appropriate civil service eligibility;

f) Must have not been automatically discharged or dismissed for
cause from previous assignment;

g) Must not have been convicted by final judgment of an offense or
crime involving moral turpitude;

h) Must be at least one meter and sixty-two centimeters (1.62 m.) in
height for male, and one meter and fifty-seven centimeters (1.57 m.) for female:
Provided, That a waiver for height and age requirements shall be automatically

granted to applicants belonging to the cultural communities; and


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i) Must weigh not more or less than five kilograms (Skgs.) from the
standard weight corresponding to the height, age and sex.

The new applicant must not be less than twenty-one (21) nor more than
thirty (30) years of age: except for this particular provision, the above-
enumerated qualifications shall be continuing in character and an absence of
any one of them at any given time shall be a ground for separation or retirement
from the service. The uniformed personnel who are already in the service upon
the effectivity of this Act shall be given five (5) years to obtain the minimum
educational qualification and one (1) year to satisfy the weight requirement.

After the lapse of the time period for the satisfaction of a specific

“requirement, current uniformed personnel of the BFP who will fail to satisfy
any of the requirements enumerated under this section shall be separated from
the service if they are below fifty (50) years of age and have served in the
government for less than twenty (20) years, or retired if they are from age
fifty(50) and above and have served in the government for at least twenty (20)
years without prejudice in either case to the payment of benefits they may be
entitled to under existing laws.

SEC. 7. Appointment of Uniformed Personnel to the BFP. — The
appointment of uniformed personnel to the BFP shall be effected in the
following manner:

a) Fireman to Fire Master Sergeant. ~ Appointed by the Regional
Director for Fire Protection for the regional office uniformed personnel or by
the Chief of the BFP for the national headquarters office uniformed personnel,
and attested by the Civil Service Commission (CSC);

b) Fire Lieutenant to Fire Lieutenant Colonel. — Appointed by the
Chief of the BFP, as recommended by their immediate superiors, and attested
by the CSC;


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¢) Fire Colonel. — Appointed by the Secretary of the Interior and
Local Government upon recommendation of the Chief of the BFP with the
proper attestation of the CSC; and

d) Fire Brigadier General to Fire General. — Appointed by the
President upon recommendation of the Secretary of the DILG, with the proper
endorsement by the Chairperson of the CSC.

SEC. 8. Lateral Entry of Officers into the BFP. —In general, all original
appointments of officers in the BFP shall commence with the rank of Fire
Lieutenant wherein applicants for lateral entry into the BFP shall include all
those with highly specialized and technical qualifications such as civil
engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers,
chemists, architects, criminologists, certified public accountants, nurses,
physical therapists and dentists. Doctors of medicine, members of the
Philippine Bar and chaplains shall be appointed to the rank of Fire Captain in
the particular technical service. Graduates of the Philippine National Police
Academy (PNPA) shall be automatically appointed to the initial rank of Fire
Lieutenant. .

SEC. 9. Professionalization and Upgrading of Qualification Standards
in the Designation of Uniformed Personnel of the BFP to Key Positions. —No
person shall be designated to the following key positions of the BFP unless the
person has met the qualifications provided therein:

a) Chief of the Fire Bureau. ~ Should have the rank of Fire General
who must be a member of the Philippine Bar or a holder of a master’s degree in
public administration, management, engineering, public safety, criminology or
other related disciplines from a recognized institution of learning, and must
have satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career courses for such
position as may be established by the BEP.

b) Deputy Chief for Administration, Deputy Chief for Operations and
Chief of Directorial Staff of the Fire Bureau. — Should have the rank of Fire


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Lieutenant General who must be a member of the Philippine Bar or a holder of
a master’s degree in public administration, management, engineering, public
safety, criminology or other related disciplines from a recognized institution of
learning, and must have satisfactorily passed the necessary training of career
courses for such position as may be established by the BFP;

c) District Fire Marshal for the National Capital Region, Regional
Director for Fire Protection and Directorate of the National Headquarters
Office. — Should have at least the rank of Fire Major General who must be a
graduate of Bachelor of Laws or a holder of a master’s degree in public
administration, management, engineering, public safety, criminology or other
related disciplines from a recognized institution of learning, and must have
satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career courses for such position as
may be established by the BFP;

d) District Fire Marshal, Provincial Fire Marshal, Assistant Regional
Director for Administration, Assistant Regional Director for Operations and
Regional Chief of Directorial Staff. — Should have the rank of Fire Brigadier
General who must be a graduate of Bachelor of Laws or a holder of a master’s
degree in public administration, management, engineering, public safety,
criminology or other related disciplines from a recognized institution of
learning, and must have satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career
courses for such position as may be established by the BFP;

e) City Fire Marshal. — Should have the rank of Fire Colonel who
must have finished at least second year of Bachelor of Laws or earned at least
twenty-four (24) units in a master’s degree program in public administration,
management, engineering, public safety, criminology or other related
disciplines from a recognized institution of learning, and must have
satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career courses for such position as

may be established by the BFP; and


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f) Municipal Fire Marshal. — Should have the rank of Fire Major who
must have finished at least second year of Bachelor of Laws or earned at least
twelve (12) units in a master’s degree program in public administration,
management, engineering, public safety, criminology or other related
disciplines from a recognized institution of learning, and must have
satisfactorily passed the necessary training or career courses for such position as
may be established by the BFP.

Any uniformed personnel of the BFP who is currently occupying such
position but lacks any of the qualifications mentioned herein shall be given
three (3) years upon the effectivity of this Act to comply with the requirements,
otherwise the uniformed personnel shall, upon due notice and hearing, be
relieved from the position.

SEC. 10. Professionalization and Qualifications Upgrading Program. —
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the BFP shall design
and establish qualifications upgrading program for the officers and uniformed
personnel-of the BFP in accordance with the CSC rules and regulations.

SEC. 11. Attrition System for the Uniformed Personnel of the BFP. —
There shall be established a system of attrition for the uniformed personnel of
the BFP within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act to be submitted by
the BFP to the DILG for approval. Such attrition system shall include, but is
not limited to, the provisions of the following principles:

a) Attrition by Demotion in Position or Rank. — Any uniformed
personnel of the BFP who is relieved and assigned to a position lower than what
is established for the grade in the staffing pattern of the BFP, and who shall not
be assigned to a position commensurate to the grade within two (2) years after
such demotion in position shall be separated or retired from the service;

b) Attrition by Non-Promotion. — Any uniformed personnel of the

BFP who has not been promoted for a continuous period of ten (10) years shall


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be separated or retired from the service, except for those who are occupying a
third-level position;

c) Attrition by Other Means. — Any uniformed personnel of the BFP
with at least five (5) years of accumulated active service shall be separated from
the service based on any of the following factors:

1. Inefficiency based on poor performance during the last two (2)

successive semestral rating periods;

2. Inefficiency based on poor performance for three (3) cumulative

semestral rating periods;

3. Physical or mental incapacity to perform the duties and functions; or

4. Failure to complete the required career courses or appropriate civil

service eligibility for the position except for justifiable reasons.

d) Separation or Retirement from the BFP under this Section. — Any
personnel who is dismissed from the BFP pursuant to the above-enumerated
principles in this section shall be separated if the personnel has rendered less
than twenty (20) years of service, and be retired if the personnel has rendered at
least twenty (20) years of service unless the concerned personnel is disqualified
by law to receive such benefits.

SEC. 12. Maximum Tenure in Position. — The aggregate maximum
tenure per position of BFP officers and personnel holding key positions is

hereby prescribed as follows:

POSITION MAXIMUM TENURE
Chief four (4) years
Deputy Chief four (4) years
Director of the Staff Services four (4) years
Regional Directors six (6) years



Provincial/City Directors six (6) years

Other positions lower than Provincial Director shall have aggregate
maximum tenure of nine (9) years. Unless earlier separated, retired or promoted
to a higher position in accordance with the BFP staffing pattern, officers and
personnel holding the above-mentioned positions shall be compulsorily retired
at the maximum tenure in position herein prescribed, or at age fifty-six (56),
whichever is earlier. In times of war or other national emergency declared by
Congress, the President may extend the Chief of BFP’s tour of duty. The BFP

officers and personnel who have already reached their maximum tenure upon

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the effectivity of this Act may be allowed one (1) year more of tenure in their-
positions before the maximum tenure provided in this Section shall be applied
to them, unless they shall have already reached the compulsory retirement age
of fifty-six (56), in which case the compulsory retirement age shall prevail.
Except for the Chief of BFP, no BFP member who has less than six (6)

months of service before reaching the compulsory retirement age shall be

promoted to a higher rank or appointed to any other position.

SEC. 13. Promotion System for the Uniformed Personnel of the BFP. —
ity of this Act, the BFP shall establish a

Within

system of promotion for the uniformed and non-uniformed personnel of the

six (6) months after the effe:

BFP through the following principles:

a)

be based on merits and on the availability of vacant ranks in the BFP staffing

pattern. Such system shall be gender-fair so as to ensure that all men and

Rationalized Promotion System. — The system of promotion shall

women of the BFP shall enjoy equal opportunity for promotion.

b)
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Requirements for Promotion. —

Any personnel of the BFP shall not be eligible for promotion to a

higher rank unless the personnel has met the minimum qualification


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standards or the appropriate civil service eligibility set by the CSC,
and has satisfactorily passed the required psychiatric or psychological,
drug and physical tests; and

Any personnel of the BFP who has exhibited acts of conspicuous

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courage and gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of
duty, or selected as such in a nationwide search conducted by any
accredited civic organization, shall be promoted to the next higher
rank: Provided, That these shall be validated by the DILG and the
CSC based on established criteria.

SEC. 14. Performance Evaluation System. — There shall be established a
performance evaluation system which shall be administered in accordance with
the rules, regulations and standards, and a code of conduct for the uniformed
personnel of the BFP to be promulgated by the BFP through the DILG. Such
performance evaluation system shall be administered in such a way as to foster
the improvement of individual efficiency and behavioral discipline as well as
the promotion of organizational effectiveness and commitment to service.

The rating system as contemplated herein shall be based on standards
prescribed by the BFP through the DILG and shall consider the results of the
annual psychiatric or psychological and physical tests conducted on the
uniformed personnel. .

SEC. 15. Promotion by Virtue of Position. — Any BFP personnel
designated to any key position whose rank is lower than that which is required
for such position but is qualified for promotion shall, after six (6) months of
occupying the same, be entitled to a rank adjustment corresponding to the
position. The personnel shall not be reassigned to a position calling for a higher
rank until after two (2) years from the date of such rank adjustment. Any
personnel designated to the position who does not possess the established
minimum qualifications therefor shall occupy the same temporarily for not more

than six (6) months without reappointment or extension.


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SEC. 16. Standardization of the Base Pay, Retirement and Other
Benefits of the Uniformed Personnel of the BFP. —\n order to enhance the
general welfare, commitment to service and professionalism of the uniformed
personnel of the BFP, they shall receive the minimum starting salary equivalent
to the salary grade level of the corresponding new rank classification of their
counterparts in the PNP, as provided under Section 36 of Republic Act No.
8551, and in the AFP, as provided under Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9166.

The rate of base pay of the uniformed personnel of the BFP shall be

adjusted in accordance with the following salary grade schedule:

RANK SALARY GRADE
Fire General 30
Fire Lieutenant General 29
Fire Major General 28
Fire Brigadier General 27
Fire Colonel 26
Fire Lieutenant Colonel 25
Fire Major 24
Fire Captain 23
Fire Lieutenant 22
Fire Master Sergeant 19
Fire Technical Sergeant 18
Fire Staff Sergeant 17
Fire Sergeant 16



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Fire Corporal ] 4

Fireman First Class 12

Fireman 10

All benefits currently received by the uniformed personnel of the BFP
under other existing laws shall continue to be received by them. The retirement
pay shall be subject to adjustment based on the prevailing scale of base pay of
the uniformed personnel in the active service.

SEC. 17. Establishment of Search and Rescue Force (SRF), Emergency
Medical Services (EMS), and HAZMAT Units. — \n addition to the existing
Fire Fighting Units, there shall be established a Search and Rescue Force (SRF)
in each region and city, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in every first to
third class municipalities and cities, and HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials) Units
in each region.

SEC. 18. Establishment of BFP Hospital or Burn Center. — The BFP
shall establish and maintain a Central and Regional Hospitals with burn center
units therein for the benefit of the BFP officers and personnel and their
dependents.

SEC. 19. Revised Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern of the
BFP. — Within ninety (90) days from the promulgation of the implementing
rules and regulations (IRR) of this Act, the Chief of BFP shall recommend and
submit to the Secretary of DILG the revised organizational structure and
staffing pattern for officers and personnel of the BFP, in accordance with the
guidelines set forth herein and as provided in the IRR.

The revised organizational structure herein mentioned shall include all
the offices of the BFP, the Fire Training Service, and the BFP Central and
Regional Hospitals.


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SEC. 20. Transitory. — The provisions of this Act shall be effected within
three (3) years after the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 21. Implementation. — The implementation of this Act shall be
undertaken in staggered phases, but not to exceed three (3) years, taking into
consideration the financial position of the National Government: Provided,
That any partial implementation shall be uniform and proportionate for all
ranks.

SEC. 22. Implementing Rules and Regulations, — The Secretary of the
Interior and Local Government, in coordination with the BFP, the CSC, the
Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the Department of Finance
(DOF) shall, within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate
rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 23. Appropriations. — For the initial operating expenses of the
Bureau of Fire Protection as well as the expenses of the local government units
to carry out the mandate of this Act, so much amount is hereby appropriated
from the Organizational Adjustment Fund on the year this Act is approved.
Thereafter, BFP shall submit to the Department of Budget and Management its
proposed budget for inclusion in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 24. Annual Report. — The BFP through the DILG and the DBM

shall jointly submit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker ofthe House ~~~

of Representatives an annual report on the implementation of this Act. This
report shall include information on the application of the budget for the salary
and other benefits provided under this Act. The DBM, in consultation with the
BFP through the DILG, shall periodically review and adjust every five (5) years
the rates of base pay, taking into consideration labor productivity, consumer
price index, oil price and other similar economic indicators as may be

determined by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).


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1

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SEC. 25. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of
the other provisions not affected thereby.

SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. — Provisions of Republic Act No. 9263
affecting the BFP are hereby repealed insofar only as they apply to the BFP.
Sections 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59 of Chapter IV of Republic Act No. 6975,
as amended, are hereby repealed. All other laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with
the provisions of this Act, are hereby deemed repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 27. Effectivity.— This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,