FIRE-RELATED property losses in Davao City have surged past the P100-million mark, underscoring a sharp rise in both incidents and damage compared with the same period last year.
The Davao City Fire District (DCFD) reported that total losses reached P108 million in January 2026, up sharply from P12 million in January 2025. Fire Senior Inspector Frances Marie Sendrijas said the city recorded 78 fire incidents last month, a 20 percent jump from 65 cases a year earlier.
“While the number of incidents is concerning, the dramatic increase in financial losses is more alarming,” Sendrijas said during the Davao Peace and Security briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, February 11.
She attributed the surge to fires striking larger commercial and industrial buildings rather than small residential homes. “High-value structures, including warehouses with costly equipment and bulk inventory, drove the losses up significantly,” she said.
Sendrijas noted that most businesses in the city comply with fire safety regulations. Securing a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC) remains mandatory for permit renewal, and establishments that fail to meet standards will not receive certification.
“So far, business compliance is generally good, though not 100 percent,” she said. “Most are following the requirements.”
Authorities urged residents and business owners to conduct regular fire safety inspections and maintain electrical systems, particularly as the dry season approaches. February alone has already seen four fire incidents, destroying homes and displacing hundreds of families across multiple barangays.
On February 8, a fire in Punta Dumalag 3, Barangay Matina Aplaya, razed 27 houses and displaced 43 families. Another blaze hit Purok Malamboon in Barangay 76-A near Ecoland Phase 1 on February 10, spreading rapidly through the dense area and prompting multiple alarms before firefighters contained the flames.
Sendrijas warned the public to stay vigilant as fire risks rise in the dry season. March is officially observed as Fire Prevention Month in the Philippines, following Proclamation No. 115-A signed in 1966 by then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., which encourages nationwide fire safety awareness and preventive practices. DEF