Barangay officials undergo fire planning training as Tabuk eyes safer communities by 2040

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Barangay officials across Tabuk City are undergoing specialized training to strengthen their capacity to prevent and respond to fires as all 43 barangays are targeted to have fully developed Community Fire Protection Plans (CFPPs) by 2040 under the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) Obligasyon sa Bayan, Ligtas na Pamayanan (OLP) program.

FO3 Marc Francis T. Gabel, Chief of the Community Relations Unit of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Tabuk, said the workshops are designed to equip barangay officials with the knowledge and skills needed to lead fire prevention and emergency response efforts in their respective communities.

According to Gabel, the OLP program promotes stronger coordination among the BFP, barangays, and other stakeholders, recognizing that communities themselves are the first line of defense during emergencies.

"Ti goal ti OLP ket jay integration, jay coordination. Haanen nga kasla idi nga adda ti puur nga mangyari or other emergency ket BFP lang ti agkuti," Gabel said, adding that, "Ti OLP dapat nangnagruna iti barangay or dagijay community lalo dagita barangay officials nga agkuti, tapno nu just in case nga agsisinnabat da idjay area ket agtitinnulong da."

Building Community Fire Protection Plans

The CFPP workshops bring together BFP personnel and barangay officials to identify fire hazards and vulnerabilities within their communities and formulate practical strategies to prevent fires and improve emergency response.

The planning process includes assessments of land and terrain conditions, urban and rural characteristics, population and social factors, the design and construction materials of buildings, and environmental conditions that may increase fire risks.

The OLP program, according to Gabel, was initially rolled out in selected barangays in 2019 but was temporarily suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation resumed in 2022 and continued until 2025, allowing all 43 barangays to formulate their initial Community Fire Protection Plans.

This year, the plans are being updated under a revised framework that sets a 15-year implementation period from 2026 to 2040 to fully institutionalize community-based fire protection across Tabuk City.

BFP-Tabuk said a Community Fire Protection Plan serves as a roadmap for every barangay to identify local fire risks, organize emergency response teams, establish evacuation procedures, strengthen fire prevention campaigns, and improve coordination with responding agencies. The program aims to ensure that communities are prepared long before a fire occurs.

Why the program matters

The initiative comes as Tabuk City continues to experience rapid urban growth, with increasing residential, commercial, and institutional developments. In recent months alone, several fire incidents have caused significant property damage, including a residential fire in Barangay Calanan on January 20, 2026, which totally destroyed a house, and another fire in Barangay Nambaran on May 6, 2026, which affected several residents. A fire also razed around 20 temporary firecracker stalls at the Bulanao Public Market on December 31, 2025, injuring two people.

With Tabuk steadily expanding into a highly urbanized city, fire officials stressed that strengthening barangay preparedness through comprehensive Community Fire Protection Plans is essential to minimizing fire risks, protecting lives and property, and building safer and more resilient communities.

Target: Fire-ready barangays by 2040

By 2040, authorities aim to ensure that every barangay in Tabuk has a sustainable and well-developed Community Fire Protection Plan that will guide local officials and residents in preventing and responding to fire incidents.