President Rodrigo Duterte has approved an additional P1 billion in funding to help modernize the Bureau of Fire Protection, days after he dressed down fire officers following big blazes in Davao City that led to scores of deaths and exposed weaknesses in the government’s fire response capabilities.
Eduardo Año, the new officer-in-charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government that oversees the BFP, said in a radio interview he was pleased that the President approved his request “about three days ago” in a meeting in Davao for more funds to buy new equipment for the bureau and “reach the niche of becoming world-class firefighters.
“That is what we will do [improve the BFP’s services]. The President’s request is simple: serve the people and create true governance,” Año added.
Duterte lectured fire officials on emergency response following a deadly blaze at a popular mall in Davao, the President’s hometown, which claimed 38 lives.
In Cebu City, firefighters have yet to declare the blaze that razed another popular mall under control, more than 16 hours since the fire began.
Meanwhile, Año, who was formally appointed DILG OIC on Friday, vowed to vigorously push the various programs of the President, using the institution’s mandate “to uplift the living conditions of Filipinos, particularly the marginalized ones.”
In a statement after he assumed office, the former Armed Forces chief of staff said it is his “strong desire” to implement dramatic changes “to realize the President’s plans and programs dedicated in improving the lives of Filipinos.”
To attain such projections, Año urged his co-workers in the department “to perform cohesively and maintain a united front” toward fulfilling their tasks under Duterte’s marching orders.
Año headed the 120,000-strong military in nearly two years as AFP chief and Philippine Army commander. He retired from the service three days after the end of combat operations in Marawi City, marking the liberation of the Islamic city from a terrorist siege that left nearly a thousand bandits dead.
The defeat of the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group terrorists prompted Duterte to appoint Año to the DILG post, initially as undersecretary, but the former general could not assume office right away as the replacement of erstwhile secretary Ismael Sueno.
Año’s immediate appointment was prohibited under Republic Act 6975 or the DILG Code of 1991, which states that no retired or resigned military officer may be appointed as a Cabinet secretary within one year from the date of his resignation or retirement.
“I enjoin all members of Team DILG to perform their task honestly and diligently towards improving the quality of the services to attain DILG’s programs for the good of our country and countrymen,” said Año, who retired from military service last Oct. 26, 2017.
He also asked the public for support and understanding while the DILG is “addressing the current challenges and working on improvements.”