Volunteers in Benguet shield school from wildfire ‘for their children's sake’

Bokod, Benguet – Schools serve as hubs for developing young minds, nurturing their abilities and skills to prepare them for the ever-changing demands of society.

In a snap, a school could be engulfed by flames, potentially devastating the lives of the students and jeopardizing their educational aspirations.

On February 24, community volunteers joined hands to save Bakian-Guiniawan Elementary School (BGES) in Bokod, Benguet from the threat of forest fires.

Demetrio Guiniawan, head of the School Parent-Teacher Association (SPTA), described through Damdamag Today the difficult situation. He explained how volunteers in the area quickly stepped up to fight the fire that was quickly approaching the school and putting it in danger.

The volunteers used knapsack sprayers and traditional firefighting methods to bravely face the blaze. However, they faced difficulties because the fire had destroyed the water systems, causing water supplies to run low.

“The PVC (polyvinyl chloride) water hose and water tanks were burnt so we weren't able to store enough water,” Guiniawan said.

Despite limited water resources, the community of Bokod worked together to put out a school fire, thanks to their determination and teamwork.

The community's main goal was to protect the children who are attending BGES and their future opportunities. Their efforts to save the school showed their strong sense of community and responsibility.

The fire in said town started on February 2 but was only reported to the Bureau of Fire Protection in the locality the following day.