Nat’l gov’t owes LGUs P1B in fire code fees

Senator Ralph Recto INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The national government failed to turn over to the local government units (LGUs) some P1 billion as the latter’s share of the fire code fees, which they could have spent to improve their firefighting capabilities, said Sen. Ralph Recto.

Recto cited a Commission on Audit (COA) report on the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) that found that from 2010 to 2013, the national government failed to remit P723 million to the LGUs.

If the share of the cities and municipalities in 2014 were included, the national government’s obligation would add up to P1 billion, he said.

These amounts should go to the rightful destination, the LGUs, so they could be put to good use, he said.

“We should give local governments their due. If it’s in the law, then we should comply with our obligations. If the BFP does not have the manpower to conduct fire inspections, then the LGU can help,” he added.

According to Recto, the COA report attributed the government’s failure to remit the amount to the LGUs to the absence of “guidelines on its implementation.”

Because of this, many fire stations and fire trucks in the localities were not properly maintained and equipped, the COA said.

It was only last February that the Departments of Finance, the Interior and Local Government, and Budget and Management issued the joint circular setting out the guidelines for the release of the funds.

“So hopefully the five-year wait of the LGUs for their share from the fire code income will end soon,” Recto said.

Under the country’s fire code, 20 percent of collected fees should be given to LGUs, while 80 percent would go to the BFP.