Alleged Modus of Some BFP Personnel Exposed by Business Owner
A business owner has revealed the alleged modus operandi of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel.
Recently, a business owner shared her troubling experience involving some of the agency’s personnel. The entrepreneur described the modus as a one-stop shop style of transaction that allegedly pressured business owners into buying overpriced fire safety equipment.
A business owner from the creative industry, identified only as Mika, shared how her establishment was suddenly inspected by a BFP personnel. After the inspection, the officer reportedly listed several fire safety items that were required, including smoke alarms, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers, as part of the process to secure a fire safety certificate.
Mika was given a calling card and was told to buy all the required equipment from the contact indicated on it. Upon checking the card, she was surprised to find that the name printed belonged to the same BFP personnel who conducted the inspection.
As a careful business owner, Mika checked the market prices of the items. She discovered that the suggested fire extinguisher cost nearly three times more than the usual price sold by regular suppliers.
When she asked if she could buy the items elsewhere at a lower cost, she was reportedly told that purchases should only be made through the contact provided.
Left with limited options and worried about delays in her permit, Mika went ahead and bought a fire extinguisher worth around P3,500, even though similar items usually sell for about P1,000.
She stressed that she had no issue of spending for safety but felt disheartened knowing that her hard-earned money might be going to corrupt practices.
The incident added to earlier statements from government officials pointing to corruption concerns within the BFP.
BFP spokesperson encouraged victims to formally report such incidents through the BFP website, assuring confidentiality and ongoing investigations. The agency emphasized the need for solid evidence to hold any erring personnel accountable and restore public trust.
In another post, BFP-Bacolod assists young mother to give birth inside tricycle before reaching hospital
The social media users expressed their reactions to the incident:
