MANILA Mayor Honey Lacuna commended the volunteer firefighters in the country for providing much-needed help in the city government’s efforts to prevent, if not lessen, the harmful effects of fire on its residents.
Speaking at the 47th Founding Anniversary of the Association of Philippine Volunteer Fire Brigades, Inc. held at the Century Seafood Restaurant, Lacuna assured the fire volunteers’ groups of the city’s support in all their endeavors and activities.
The lady mayor also congratulated the new set of officers and directors of the said organization, particularly their new president, Charles Yu.
Lacuna noted how the said organization of fire volunteers has been at the forefront and relentlessly assisting the city in saving precious lives and properties during and every fire disaster.
“Indeed, from the ashes of disaster sprung a fountain of collaboration and cooperation which will have a positive impact on the lives of our constituents,” the mayor said.
She added that while the local government of Manila is continuously modernizing its fire-fighting and prevention capabilities as well as improving its approaches to similar disasters, natural and man-made, it is well aware of the insufficiency of its resources to attend to and answer every and all fire alarms especially in the hottest months of March and April.
“I learned that your association was formally established in 1976 in the aftermath of several devastating fires that gutted scores of business establishments in the vicinities of Divisoria and Ongpin. I was only 11 years old at that time but my father, former Vice-Mayor Danilo Lacuna, provided me stories of your historic pasts and achievements especially in the field of volunteerism and self-sacrifice,” she said.
Lacuna added: “While it pains me to remember the devastating fires that ravaged the Bahay Kalinga Orphanage and Children’s Home in 1998 that killed 27 people mostly children, this tragedy, no doubt resulted in a better understanding of the symbiotic relationship between the city government and the private sector, more particularly your organization.”
Citing the countless incidents that volunteer firefighters assisted Manila, Lacuna said the city is just ‘grateful and forever in your debt.’
“Ang dasal ko, Sana po ay dumami pa kayo. Hindi lang sa Maynila pati na rin sa mga kalapit na lungsod at probinsya ng ating bansa na mangangailangan ng dagliang tulong sa oras na may sunog,” the mayor added.
