ACROSS Western Visayas every March, the message rings out clearly: fire prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Households are reminded to unplug appliances, avoid overloaded outlets, and maintain clear escape routes. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) repeats the call for vigilance as Fire Prevention Month unfolds.
The message is correct. Fires often begin inside homes, and responsible habits can save lives.
But if prevention is truly a shared responsibility, then accountability must also be shared.
In Iloilo City for example, the BFP has identified 74 barangays as high-risk for fire incidents. That number alone should compel us to examine not only household behavior but also the broader systems meant to prevent disasters. Because while residents are urged to exercise caution, the question remains: are the institutions responsible for enforcing safety doing their part just as consistently?
Take building code enforcement, for instance. Are all structures in densely populated barangays compliant with safety standards? In rapidly urbanizing areas, buildings often rise faster than inspections can keep up. Informal expansions, added floors, and improvised partitions can turn homes into fire traps if left unchecked.
Electrical safety presents another layer of concern. Faulty wiring remains one of the leading causes of residential fires. Yet substandard electrical installations continue to exist in many communities. Are these routinely inspected? Are electricians properly certified? Or do unsafe connections only receive attention after a blaze has already occurred?
Then there is the familiar sight that Ilonggos jokingly call “spaghetti wires.” Tangled overhead cables stretching from pole to pole have become part of the urban landscape in several areas of Iloilo City. While often dismissed as an aesthetic issue, these chaotic bundles of wiring pose serious safety risks. They complicate maintenance, increase the likelihood of electrical faults, and can obstruct emergency operations.
Clearing and regulating these cables should not require a fire incident to trigger action.
Access is another recurring problem. In some high-density barangays, narrow interior roads and blocked passageways make it difficult for fire trucks to reach burning structures quickly. Firefighters can only do so much when physical access is compromised. Ensuring clear roads and passageways is not merely a matter of community discipline; it also requires firm and consistent enforcement by local authorities.
Oversight of informal settlements also demands careful attention. Iloilo City’s continued growth has led to clusters of homes built close together, sometimes using light materials that are highly combustible. These areas are understandably among those categorized as high-risk.
The challenge is not simply to identify these zones but to implement meaningful solutions — safer housing designs, improved electrical infrastructure, and relocation or upgrading programs where necessary.
None of these issues fall solely on the shoulders of ordinary residents. Fire prevention cannot be reduced to reminders about unplugging appliances while larger systemic risks remain unresolved.
Yes, households must remain vigilant. Families must practice safety at home. But government agencies, utility providers, and urban planners must demonstrate equal vigilance in enforcing regulations, maintaining infrastructure, and addressing structural hazards.
When the BFP says, “Sa Pag-iwas sa Sunog, Hindi ka Nag-iisa,” the message should resonate beyond the household. It should apply to institutions as well.
Shared responsibility must also mean shared accountability.
Because if 74 barangays in Iloilo City remain high-risk, then the task ahead is not only to remind residents to be careful — but to ensure that the systems designed to protect them are working just as diligently.
