BFP urges proactive evacuations amid inclement weather

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has urged residents in flood-prone areas to prioritize early evacuation as the country continues to experience the rainy season.

During the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Kapihan forum Thursday, Fire Supt. Anthony Arroyo, chief of the BFP Public Information Service, said proactive measures remain crucial to preventing loss of life, particularly in low-lying areas prone to flooding.

READ: 6 evacuated from Baguio village still reeling from fatal landslide

“The most important thing there is really taking proactive measures,” Arroyo said.

He said authorities are anticipating the need for residents in flood-prone communities to evacuate before conditions worsen.

However, the BFP official acknowledged that authorities continue to encounter resistance from some residents who are being urged to leave their homes.

He said the BFP is working with other law enforcement agencies, local government units and the DILG to ensure vulnerable communities are properly evacuated.

READ: Over 4,200 people remain in San Fernando evacuation centers amid floods

For residents who cannot evacuate on their own, Arroyo said the BFP will conduct rescue operations and transport them to safer areas.

“If they are unable to evacuate, that is when rescue operations will be conducted to transport them to safe areas using our water assets,” he said. — Rendell Ivan Manuel, INQUIRER.net trainee /das