THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has discovered alleged disparities in fire safety documentation and deficiencies in the electrical system of a condominium in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
SFO3 Lemuel Vincent Alcoseba II, commander of the Mabolo Fire Substation, said on Monday, March 24, 2025, that the building management of San Marino Residences failed to present a fire safety evaluation clearance (FSEC), a document required before construction begins.
However, the Office of the Building Official (OBO) said it issued an occupancy permit for the building in 2015.
Alcoseba, who assumed his post in the middle of 2024, said he would review documents signed by his predecessor.
The BFP official further said that the absence of fire exits from the ground to the third floors is a violation of Republic Act (RA) 9514, or the Fire Code of the Philippines. He said that constructing the fire exits would require a new building permit due to the scale of renovation involved.
Meeting
These disparities surfaced during a meeting on Monday at the City Hall, which was attended by at least seven San Marino homeowners and representatives from Mabolo Fire Substation, Visayan Electric Company, the OBO, and City Councilor Jerry Guardo, who chairs the council’s infrastructure committee.
A representative for Visayan Electric said the current electrical setup does not meet the standard for individual metering. The power distributor recommended a total rehabilitation of the system and said discussions are needed with the building’s developer, Landtraders World Properties Corp.
Ma. Alyssa Rea Nuñez, a lawyer and homeowner who represents other residents, said they had been trying to reach the developer since September 2024 but received no response.
The BFP has ordered the building closed due to several fire safety violations, including the lack of smoke control systems, atrium fire protection, and a defective fire detection, alarm and communication system.
The BFP issued fire safety notices on Oct. 24, 2024, followed by notices to comply. These culminated in a closure order on Nov. 29, 2024.
Alcoseba said some violations under RA 9514 have been addressed.
However, the closure order remains in effect until all deficiencies, especially serious ones, are corrected.
He said the order does not mandate the eviction of residents but serves to inform them of the building’s current risks.
Guardo said he will call for another meeting with the BFP, OBO, Visayan Electric, and the homeowners to address the unresolved issues. / JPS