It pays to spend public funds efficiently and wisely.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) continues to receive an unmodified opinion from the Commission on Audit (COA) for fiscal year 2023 in compliance with Section 43 of the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 1445).
Because of this, the BFP expects Congress to release an additional budget for the bureau's modernization program this year, the agency has an additional P4.5 billion to purchase modern equipment to advance its 2024 modernization program.
It is known that in the last hearing of Congress for the BFP budget, the agency is expected to increase its budget for the Bureau of Fire for the year 2025.
According to Miriam M. Villanueva, Director IV of the Commission on Audit (COA), the audit was conducted in the BFP in compliance with the mandate of the law, rules and regulations and to implement the equal provision of financial statements and implement the audit recommendation and said their audit to provide a favorable basis for their unmodified opinion issued.
The COA report further stated that the audit report is an independent Audit Report on audited Financial Statements, which contains Observations and Recommendations discussed by concerned Management officials and the Status of Implementation of Prior Years' Audit Recommendations.
Based on the COA report, BFP received an impressive score of 93 percent, earning an outstanding rating compared to its initial Financial Performance Rating report.
The COA earlier endorsed the BFP's initiatives to establish a modernization program that conforms to contemporary standards.
The COA report noted no irregularity in the BFP's efforts to establish the technical requirements necessary to modernize its methods and programs in disaster and fire response.
COA's Financial Management Performance Rating report praised the BFP for its exceptional performance in the 2022 assessment.
In this regard, the BFP said that it is now more important for the public to know about the government's emergency hotlines after the devastation of typhoons Carina and Engteng, which was strengthened by Habagat, which severely damaged many areas in Metro Manila and the Luzon region.
BFP chief director Louie S. Puracan said that because of the modernization program, the BFP has been able to cope with the modern challenges of the times, including the increase in fire trucks of the BFP, ambulances, and equipment of the bureau of fire to respond. In emergency calls, not only in fires but also in disaster response and saving the lives of individuals.
Meanwhile, regarding the appointment of the new DILG secretary, DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla BFP hopes that this will strengthen the agency so that it can implement its mandate as a bureau.
The COA report said the total funds allocated for the BFP modernization program from 2011 to 2017 reached P13.17 billion.
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