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WHETHER natural or human-induced, disasters can be prevented when necessary security and preventive measures are in place.
Take the case of the recent tragic mall / call center fire in Davao City. Many innocent lives were lost. This could have been avoided if there were adequate and proactive security and safety measures. Let this painful experience serve as a wake-up call to all establishments, whether private or public, to be more proactive and responsible in securing our people. We must always be prepared to respond to hazards natural or man-made, to any violence, even possible terror attacks.
Private and public establishments all over the country must to develop a culture of safety. While we cannot secure the world 24/7, we can limit our exposure to risk if our safety and security forces and the security personnel of privately owned establishments are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge. The safety of our people is our primordial concern. Hence, it is incumbent upon business owners, who invest millions or billions of pesos into malls or hotels or even government facilities such as tollways, highways, MRT or LRT, to strictly adhere to safety rules and regulations and be held responsible for the safety of their staff and customers alike.
The importance of close coordination between public and private sector cannot be overemphasized. Concerned government agencies on health, labor and security must exercise their regulatory powers wisely and judiciously to secure our people and to ensure quick response at all times.
If there were competent and properly-trained personnel and adequate security facilities such as exhaust system and fire safety devices, we could have prevented unnecessary deaths in this recent call center tragedy. That is why we have to move beyond simple compliance to a culture of safety to ensure nothing like this ever happens again in the future.
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