Army to build ‘cooler’ ammo storage facilities

Firemen tries to control the fire that hits the EOD batallion building at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines – After a fire that triggered an explosion inside the Fort Bonifacio raised safety issues about storing explosive ordnance in the camp, the Philippine Army would build better and “cooler” facilities to prevent such incidents.

Lieutenant Colonel Noel Detoyato, Philippine Army spokesman, on Wednesday said the Army would relocate some of its explosive ordnance storage facilities to Camp Aquino an Camp Aguinaldo from the Army Support Command in Fort Bonifacio.

“When we start the relocation from ASCOM to Camp Aquino, there would be new buildings,” Detoyato said. “In doing so, the new buildings could adapt to climate change while in accordance to the specs of ordnance storage facilities.

Lieutenant General Hernando Iriberri ordered the construction of the new buildings to adapt to the environmental changes.

“There are designs that have been laid out, there are buildings in Camp Aquino and Fort Magsaysay,” Detoyato said. “We call them ‘magazines’ and ‘igloo.'”

Apart from the designs, Detoyato confirmed that funds are allocated for the construction and the Bases Conversion Development Authority would oversee the project.

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