FIRE SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN A PHILIPPINE URBAN CONTEXT: THE CASE OF BAGO CITY

Abstract

Fire safety is still a major public concern, especially in growing cities where fast population growth and infrastructure development frequently exceed risk-reduction initiatives. In the Philippines, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is responsible for executing fire safety and risk reduction programs. However, research (e.g., Salazar, 2020; Lopez & Mendoza, 2023) has identified ongoing operational shortcomings such as personnel shortages, outdated equipment, and low public awareness, particularly in smaller communities like Bago City.

Local fire response capabilities are still being challenged by inconsistent execution of Republic Act No. 11589's (BFP Modernization Act) mandates. Although fire safety in urban areas has been the subject of much previous research, little is known regarding the efficacy and community integration of fire safety strategies in provincial cities. By evaluating the perceived efficacy of risk reduction and fire safety measures in Bago City, Negros Occidental, this study fills that knowledge vacuum.

The study's goals are to assess how the community and institutions see BFP-led and auxiliary group fire safety initiatives, determine the demographic variables that affect these opinions, and look into operational constraints that prevent successful execution. In the end, this study adds to the larger conversation on disaster risk management in local areas and provides useful information for institutional and policy changes.