Remulla: DILG did not buy mini fire trucks in viral posts
MANILA — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Wednesday denied claims circulating on social media that the government bought mini fire-fighting vehicles worth P10 million each for the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Remulla clarified that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) did not buy the small three-wheeled vehicles in the viral posts.
“To be clear, Nueva Ecija [LGU] ang bumili,” Remulla stressed.
(To be clear, it was the Nueva Ecija local government unit that bought those.)
Remulla made the clarification as photos of small fire-fighting vehicles circulated online and were linked to the DILG’s planned procurement of new firefighting vehicles for local governments.
He said the fire trucks being procured by the DILG are significantly different from the units being shown in the viral posts.
He said those cost P10 million each and have a capacity of 750 gallons.
“Fini-fake news na naman kami (We have been targeted by ‘fake news’ again) but the truth will be out.”
The DILG has separately posted on its official Facebook page photos of the type of fire trucks it is preparing to procure, making clear that the images are only illustrations and do not yet show the actual units.
The agency said it is planning to add 1,500 new fire trucks for local governments nationwide within the next one and a half years through a planned procurement from South Korea.
Based on the specifications being prepared by the BFP, the proposed fire trucks are expected to have a water tank with a capacity of at least 3,000 liters, a pump capable of delivering at least 1,800 liters per minute, and a crew cab for six personnel.
The units are also expected to come with rescue tools.
The DILG said the planned procurement is intended to address the shortage of firefighting equipment and strengthen the capacity of cities and municipalities to respond more quickly to fires and other emergencies.
Remulla maintained that the mini fire trucks being attributed to the DILG were not part of the agency’s procurement.
Meanwhile, Remulla and PNP chief PGen Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. led the turnover of 130 Unified 911 emergency response motorcycles to the Police Regional Office 4A on Wednesday.
The blessing and turnover ceremony was held at Camp BGen Vicente P. Lim in Calamba City, Laguna.
The motorcycles are expected to boost police mobility and help responders reach emergency scenes faster, particularly in areas where motorcycles can navigate traffic and narrow roads more easily.
PRO 4A, led by PBGen Dominic L. Baccay, received the additional mobility assets, with local government officials from Laguna and Batangas also present.
NAPOLCOM CALABARZON welcomed the distribution, saying the additional motorcycles would strengthen the capability of frontline law enforcement personnel to respond promptly to emergency calls and incidents.
The turnover forms part of the continuing implementation of the Unified 911 emergency response system and efforts to improve police visibility, operational readiness and public safety across the region.