The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has awarded safety seals to all 16 stations of the Bureau of Fire Protection in this province.

Fire Officer 2 Vilmarie Pagunsan, BFP Antique information officer, said the safety seal indicates their compliance with minimum health protocols as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“The two latest fire stations that were awarded with safety seal(s) were that of Hamtic and San Jose de Buenavista,” she said in an interview Monday.

Pagunsan said the fire station in Hamtic town earned a safe seal on January 25, while that in San Jose de Buenavista on January 26.

She said the other 14 fire stations in the towns of Patnongon, Belison, Sibalom, Tibiao, Bugasong, Tobias Fornier, Barbaza, Sebaste, Libertad, Valderrama, Laua-an, Pandan, Culasi, and San Remigio received their safety seals last year.

Fire stations are yet to be constructed in Antique’s two other municipalities of Caluya and Anini-y.

“By having the safety seals, our BFP fire stations assure the public of their safety also whenever they go there for their transactions,” she added.

An alcohol or hand washing area and a logbook for contact tracing are placed at the entrance of each fire station.

The safety seal is posted in a conspicuous place at the fire station for the public to be able to easily see it.

“The fire stations in Antique are right now busy in the issuance of the fire safety certificate being a requirement for the renewal of the business permit to the establishment owners that it is very important that the Covid-19 health protocol is observed,” she added.

The renewal of the business permit started last January 3 until the end of February or March depending on the discretion of the local government units (LGUs) following the provincial memorandum order issued by the DILG Antique on January 4 to assist business owners due to the pandemic. (PNA)