Mandaue City recorded a 12 percent decline in fire incidents in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Mandaue Station Fire Chief Inspector Alvin Torion said the city logged 22 fire incidents as of May 2026, lower than the 25 cases recorded in the same period in 2025.
Torion attributed the decrease to intensified fire prevention efforts under the Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan program, along with sustained public information campaigns and community-based initiatives.
He also cited weather conditions as a contributing factor in the reduction of incidents.
“Kay fires man gud, aksidente na, it is beyond our control,” Torion said.
Residential areas remained the most common site of fire incidents in the city, prompting continued emphasis on household-level prevention and awareness.
Torion urged residents to practice electrical safety, including avoiding overloaded circuits and regularly checking appliances for faulty wiring or loose connections.
“I-sige lang nato sila og educate ana and hopefully i-internalize nila,” he said.
The BFP has identified 10 fire-prone barangays in Mandaue City: Subangdaku, Banilad, Tipolo, Paknaan, Canduman, Tabok, Guizo, Maguikay, Alang-alang, and Pagsabungan, based on incident frequency and local risk factors such as narrow roads and limited water access.
Subangdaku, Alang-alang, and Guizo were selected as pilot areas for Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan, where barangay-based firefighters are deployed to monitor hazards and coordinate early response efforts.
The bureau has also strengthened its Bayanihan Program, which focuses on identifying fire risks and training residents in basic emergency response and fire prevention techniques.
As part of the initiative, selected households undergo fire safety training, including proper use of fire extinguishers.
Trained residents are organized into Community Force Auxiliary Groups (CFAG), a volunteer network being established across Mandaue City’s 27 barangays to support first-response efforts during emergencies.
“Sila ang first responders gyud, dili ang bombero, dili ang taga disaster, sila mismo kay sila ang naa ana nga community maong sila atong gi-empower,” Torion said.
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