The Davao City Fire District was awarded as Best District Fire Office of the Year, besting all other district offices in the Philippines. The award was given by the Bureau of Fire Protection National Headquarters on August 2, 2024, during the BFP’s 33rd Anniversary.
The office obtained the highest rating in the Search for Best District Fire Office 2024 under the criteria of District Administration, Investigation and Intelligence, Operational Preparedness and Readiness, Finance, Fire Safety and Enforcement, Logistics, and District Office Management under the Revised Bureau of Fire Protection Programs on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (BFP-PRAISE) MC-2024-009.
“How the Davao City Fire District has performed bespeak professionalism and dedication in achieving efficiency and outstanding service,” read the plaque for the award signed by Fire Director Louie S. Puracan.
Fire Senior Inspector Frances Marie S. Sendrijas, chief of the Public Information Unit of the Davao City Fire District, told Madayaw Davao on August 9, 2024, that the award was being attributed to Dabawenyos and the men and women of the Davao City Fire District.
“Kung hindi dahil sa kanila, we will not be able to achieve this award (If not for them, we will not achieve this award),” Sendrijas said.
She said that before the awarding, validators had compared the programs implemented by their office with others in the Philippines.
Sendrijas said that they are also grateful for the support of the local government of Davao City in receiving this recognition.
“Actually we wouldn’t be able to get this award without their help kasi sobrang laking tulong po nila sa deed of usufruct po sa different lots here in Davao City for us to establish fire stations, especially sa mga areas na malalayo talaga sa city and then procurement of office supplies, office equipment and then rescue vehicles, response vehicles ang dami po talaga na tulong ng Davao city (Actually, we won’t be able to get this award without their help because they have given us huge help in the deed of usufruct for the different lots here in Davao City for us to establish fire stations, especially in far-flung areas in the City and [also] in the procurement of office supplies, office equipment, and then the rescue vehicles, response vehicles, the City Government of Davao helped us a lot),” she said.
Sendrijas said that the city also recognized and provided funding for some of its programs and activities. An example of this is the inclusion of some BFP programs as accredited events in the previous Araw ng Dabaw.
“We are very grateful, hindi ko po siguro ma express kung gaano ko ka grateful (We are very grateful, I can’t hardly express how grateful we are),” she said.
Sendrijas said that with the award, the BFP-Davao City Fire District will continue to strive for improvement, especially in innovations for its different offices.
“We strive for improving different offices, especially in the programs that will boost our public service, especially in serving the people of Davao City,” Sendrijas said, adding that they hope that next year they will also get the same award with the help of the people of Davao City.
It took them three nominations before being selected for the top spot.
“We would like to thank our chief BFP Fire Director Louie Puracan, to Honorable Davao City Mayor Sebastian Baste Duterte for always trusting us for giving us what we need for the people of Davao City, without this, the award would not be possible, if not for your support in this program hindi po namin ito makukuha (we may have not achieved this) and of course the men and women of BFP Fire District, lahat po ng effort nila nagresulta narin po in getting this award (all of their efforts resulted in getting this award),” Sendrijas said. CIO
