CHIEF Inspector Publio Ploteña, fire marshal of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bacolod City, warned the public against fixers and persons using the bureau’s name to sell fire extinguishers.
Ploteña told SunStar Bacolod on Tuesday, January 9, that the BFP personnel are not allowed to recommend or sell fire extinguishers to persons, particularly those who are processing business permits at the Business One-Stop-Shop at the Bacolod Government Center.
He said there are persons who are using the BFP’s name to make transactions with certain individuals to hasten the compliance of their documents in the renewal of business permits.
He has yet to receive complaints, but he expects it to happen, Ploteña said.
The fire chief advised the public to report to their office or directly to him those committing the said violation.
“It is prohibited for BFP personnel to engage in such transactions,” Ploteña said, as he urged the public to be aware of the modus.
Inspection
Ploteña said that BFP-Bacolod conducted inspection in 15 business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in the city, based on the directives of the BFP national headquarters and of Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Ploteña said all the BPO companies have complied with the fire safety standard requirements.
“All the structures are well-maintained,” he said, adding that inspection is annually conducted as part of their compliance in the renewal of business permits.
Ploteña said they are also set to inspect shopping malls.
This, after the recent fire incidents that damaged malls in Davao and Cebu cities.