Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

Metro Manila

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:

1 Section 1. Transfer of Administrative Supervision and Control. Pursuant

2 to this act, the administrative supervision and control over the Bureau of Fire
3 Protection (BFP) is hereby transferred from the Department of the Interior and
4 Local Government (DILG) to the Department of Disaster Resiliency (DDR). The
5 transfer of supervision and control as herein mentioned shall in no case cause
6 a diminution of rank, compensation, privileges and retirement benefits nor
7 shall divest it of its character as a uniformed agency.
8
9 Section 2. Composition.The BFP shall be composed of the present officers,
10 personnel and other employees of the BFP and those that hereafter maybe
11 hired to increase its manpower complement.
12
13 Section 3. Powers andFunctions.The BFP shall be responsible for the
14 prevention and suppression of all destructive fires on buildings, houses and
15 other structures, including those found in economic zones including agro-
16 industrial economic zones, free ports and special economic zones, it
17 parks/centers, manufacturing economic zones, medical tourism parks/centers,
18 tourism economic zone, and other similar entities,forest, land transportation
19 vehicles and equipment, ships or vessels docked at piers or wharves or
20 anchored in major seaports, petroleum industry installations, airports,plane
21 crashes and other similar incidents, as well as the enforcement of the Fire
22 Code of the Philippines and other related laws.
23
24 The BFP shall have the power to investigate all causes of fires and, if
25 necessary, file the proper complaints with the city or provincial prosecutor who
26 has jurisdiction over the case. The BFP shall have the power to establish and
27 maintain regional arson laboratories and research and testing facilities with
28 complete equipment for this purpose.
29
30 Further, the BFP shall have the function of responding to disasters, whether
31 man-made or natural, and respond to other emergencies, including rescue,
32 emergency medical, hazardous materials (hazmat),chemical, biological,
33 radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) materials, and other
34 emergencies. In line with this, the BFP shall establish and maintain state-of-
35 the-art apparatus and equipment to be used by the BFP in its emergency
36 rescue, emergency medical, hazmat, and other operations.
37
38 Furthermore, the BFP shall have the power to conduct trainings of its
39 personnel and officers pertaining to fire prevention and suppression,
40 investigation, disaster preparedness, rescue, emergency medical,

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1 hazmat,CBRNE, and other operations.
2
3 In consonance with the powers and functions of the BFP, the BFP may request
4 the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the
5 Philippines (AFP), or any other agency of the government, including
6 government-owned and/or-controlledcorporations, in exercising its powers and
7 functions.
8
9 The BFP, in pursuance of all the functions mentioned, shall have the power to
10 enter into any contract or transaction for the acquisition, ownership,
11 possession, use, administration, lease, disposition, or acceptance of real or
12 personal property in its name.
13
14 Lastly, the BFP shall perform such other functions as the president or the
15 secretary may assign.”
16
17 Section 4. Regulatory powers over Fire Volunteer Brigades. The BFP
18 shall have the power to standardize, regulate, supervise, and monitor Fire
19 Volunteer Brigades as auxiliary forces of the BFP.
20
21 Section 5.Offices.The BFP shall have a National Headquarters, Regional
22 Headquarters, Provincial Headquarters, District Headquarters, City and
23 Municipal Fire Stations.
24
25 At the National Headquarters, there shall be an Office of the Chief, BFP
26 assisted by other key offices which shall formulate the policies, plans and
27 programs of the BFP; and monitor, evaluate and coordinate the operations and
28 activities of the fire service operating units at the regional levels.
29
30 At the regional level, there shall be an office of the Regional Director which
31 shall implement the policies, plans and programs of the BFP; and monitor,
32 evaluate and coordinate the operations and activities of the fire service
33 operating units at the provincial levels.
34
35 At the provincial level, there shall be an office of the Provincial Director which
36 shall also implement the policies, plans and programs of the BFP; and monitor,
37 evaluate and coordinate the operations and activities of the fire service
38 operating units at the city and municipal levels. In the case of large provinces,
39 District Headquarters may be established, to be headed by a District Director.
40
41 At the city or municipal level, there shall be a fire station, each headed by a
42 city or municipal fire marshal: Provided, that, in the case of large cities, a
43 District Headquarter with subordinate fire stations headed by a District
44 Director may be organized as necessary.
45
46 Section 6. Establishment of Fire Station. There shall be established at
47 least one (1) fire station with adequate personnel, firefighting facilities and
48 equipment in every provincial capital, city and municipality subject to the

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1 standards, rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the
2 Department.TheBFP shall have the authority to acquire or purchase real
3 property in all cities or municipalities for the establishment of fire central and
4 sub-stations.
5
6 Section7. Organization, Key Positions, and Rank Classification of the
7 BFP.The Head of the BFPshall have the position title of Chief, BFP. The second
8 officer in command of the BFP shall have the position title of Deputy Chief for
9 Administration of the BFP. The third officer in command of the BFP shall have
10 the position title of Deputy Chief for Operation of the BFP. The fourth officer in
11 command of the BFP shall have the position title of Chief of Directorial Staff of
12 the BFP, who shall be assisted by the directors of the directorates in the
13 National Headquarters.
14
15 The BFP shall establish, operate, and maintain Regional Headquartersin each
16 of the administrative regions of the country which shall be headed by a
17 Regional Director. He/She shall be assisted by the following officers: Deputy
18 Regional Director For Administration, Deputy Regional Director For Operations,
19 and Regional Chief of Staff.
20
21 Due to the modernization and for purposes of efficient administration, supervision,
22 and control, the new rank classification of the members of the BFP shall be as
23 follows:
24
25 RANK SALARY GRADE
26 Fire Director General 30
27 Fire Deputy Director General 29
28 Fire Director 28
29
Fire Chief Superintendent 27
30
Fire Senior Superintendent 26
31
32 Fire Superintendent 25
33 Fire Chief Inspector 24
34 Fire Senior Inspector 23
35 Fire Inspector 22
36 Senior Fire Officer 4 19
37 Senior Fire Officer 3 18
38 Senior Fire Officer 2 17
39 Senior Fire Officer 1 16
40 Fire Officer 3 14
41 Fire Officer 2 12
42 Fire Officer 1 10
43
44 Section. 8. Appointment of Uniformed Personnel to the BFP.The
45
appointment of the BFP shall be effected in the following manners:
46
47
a) Fire Officer I to Senior Fire Officer IV – Appointed by the respective
48 Regional Director for the Regional Headquartersor by theChief, BFP for

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1 the national headquarters, and attested by the Civil Service Commission
2 (CSC);
3
4 b) Fire Inspector to Fire Superintendent – Appointed by theChief, BFPand
5 attested by the CSC;
6
7 c) Fire Senior Superintendent. – Appointed by the Secretary upon
8 recommendation of the Chief, BFPwith the proper attestation of the CSC;
9 and
10
11 d) Chief Superintendent to Director General- Appointed by the President
12 upon recommendation of the Secretary.
13
14 Section 9. Mandatory Training Program. All newly appointed uniformed
15 personnel of the BFP shall undergo a Mandatory Training Program.
16
17 Section 10. Qualification Standards in the Designation of Uniformed
18 Personnel ofBFP to Key Positions. No person shall be designated to the
19 following key positions of the BFPunless he/she has met the required ranks
20 herein provided:
21
22 1) Chief, BFP – Should have the rank of Director General;
23
24 2) Deputy Chief for Administration of the BFP, Deputy Chief for
25 Operations of the BFP and Chief Directorial Staff of the BFP- Should have
26 the rank of Deputy Director General;
27
28 3) Director of the Directorate of the National Headquarters. – Should
29 have the rank of Director;
30
31 4) Regional Director (NCR)- Should have the rank ofDirector;
32
33 5)Regional Director (Other Regions)- Should have the rank of Chief
34 Superintendent;
35
36 6) Deputy Regional Director for Administration (NCR), Deputy Regional
37 Director For Operations (NCR), And Chief Of Staff (NCR) - Should have
38 the rank of Chief Superintendent;
39
40 7) Deputy Regional Director For Administration, Deputy Regional Director
41 For Operations and Regional Chief Of Staff (Other Regions) – should
42 have the rank of Senior Superintendent;
43
44 8) District Director (NCR) - Should have the rank of Chief
45 Superintendent;
46
47 9)Provincial Director – Should have the rank of Senior Superintendent;
48

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1 10)Highly Urbanized Cities outside NCR - Should have the rank of Senior
2 Superintendent.
3
4 11)City Fire Marshal (NCR) - Should have the rank ofSenior
5 Superintendent;
6
7 12)City Fire Marshal (Other Regions) - Should have the rank of
8 Superintendent;
9
10 13)Municipal Fire Marshal. – Should have the rank ofChief Inspector.
11
12 Section 11. Qualifications Upgrading Program. – The BFPshall design and
13 establish a qualifications upgrading program for the BFP officers and personnel
14 in accordance with the Civil Service Commissionrules and regulations.
15
16 Section 12. Maximum Tenure in Position. – The aggregate maximum
17 tenure per positionof BFP officers and personnel holding key positions is
18 hereby prescribed as follows:
19
20
POSITION MAXIMUM TENURE
21
22 Chief four (4) years
23
24 Deputy Chief four (4) years
25
26 Director of the Staff Services four (4) years
27
28 Regional Directors six (6) years
29
Provincial/City Directors nine (9) years
30
31
32 Other positions lower than Provincial Director shall have aggregate maximum
33 tenure of six (6) years. Unless earlier separated, retired or promoted to a
34 higher position in accordance with the BFPStaffing Pattern, officers and
35 personnel holding the above-mentioned positions shall be compulsorily retired
36 at the maximum tenure in position herein prescribed, or at age fifty-six (56),
37 whichever is earlier: Provided, That in times of war or other national
38 emergency declared by Congress, the President may extend the Chief, BFP’s
39 tour of duty: Provided, further, That BFP officers and personnel who have
40 already reached their maximum tenure upon the effectivity of this Act may be
41 allowed one (1) year more of tenure in their positions before the maximum
42 tenure provided in this Section shall be applied to them, unless they shall have
43 already reached the compulsory retirement age of fifty-six (56), in which case
44 the compulsory retirement age shall prevail.
45
46 Except for the Chief, BFP, no BFP member who has less than six (6) months of
47 service before reaching the compulsory retirement age shall be promoted to a
48 higher rank or appointed to any other position.

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1
2 Section 13. Prohibition on appointment as NUP.All retired uniformed
3 officer and personnel of the BFP shall be disqualified from being subsequently
4 appointed as non-uniformed personnel in the BFP.
5
6 Section 14. Rationalized Promotion System. Within six (6) months after
7 the effectivity of this Act, the BFP shall establish a system of promotion for
8 uniformed and non-uniformed personnel of the BFP which shall be based on
9 merits and on the availability of vacant positions in the BFP staffing pattern.
10 Such system shall be gender fair.
11
12 Section 15. Promotion by Virtue of Position. Any BFP personnel
13 designated to any key position whose rank is lower than that which is required
14 for such position but is qualified for promotion shall, after six (6) months of
15 occupying the same, be entitled to a rank adjustment corresponding to the
16 position: Provided, That the personnel shall not be reassigned to a position
17 calling for a higher rank until after two (2) years from the date of such rank
18 adjustment: Provided, further, that any personnel designated to the position
19 who does not possess the established minimum qualifications therefor shall
20 occupy the same temporarily for not more than six (6) months without
21 reappointment or extension.
22
23 Section 16. Retirement Benefits. Monthly retirement pay shall be fifty
24 percent (50%) of the base pay and longevity pay of the retired grade in case
25 of twenty (20) years of active service, increasing by two and one-half percent
26 (2.5%) for every year of active service rendered beyond twenty (20) years to
27 a maximum of ninety percent (90%) for thirty-six (36) years of active service
28 and over: Provided, That, the uniformed personnel shall have the option to
29 receive in advance and in lump sum his retirement pay for the first three (3)
30 years: Provided, further, That payment of the retirement benefits in lump sum
31 shall be made within three (3)months from effectivity date of retirement
32 and/or completion: Provided, finally, That retirement pay of the officers/non-
33 officers of the BFP shall be subject to adjustments based on the prevailing
34 scale of base pay of uniformed personnel in the active service."
35
36 Section 17. Permanent Physical Disability. An officer or non-officer who is
37 permanently and totally disabled as a result of injuries suffered or sickness
38 contracted in the performance of his duty as duly certified by the BFP, upon
39 finding and certification by the appropriate medical officer, that the extent of
40 the disability or sickness renders such member unfit or unable to further
41 perform the duties of his position, shall be entitled to one year's salary and to
42 lifetime pension equivalent to eighty percent (80%) of his last salary, in
43 addition to other benefits as provided under existing laws.
44
45 Should such member who has been retired under permanent total disability
46 under this section die within five (5) years from his retirement, his surviving
47 legal spouse or if there be none, the surviving dependent legitimate
48 childrenand acknowledged illegitimate childrenof the deceased member shall

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1 be entitled to the pension for the remainder of the five (5) years guaranteed
2 period.
3
4 Section 18. Early Retirement Program. Within three (3) years after the
5 effectivity of this Act, any uniformed personnel may retire and be paid
6 retirement benefits corresponding to a position two (2) ranks higherthan his or
7 her present rank subject to the following conditions:
8
9 a) That at the time he or she applies for retirement, he or she has
10 already rendered an aggregate of at least fifteen (15) years of BFP
11 service;
12 b) The applicant is not scheduled for separation or retirement from the
13 service;
14 c) He or she has no pending administrative or criminal case; and
15 d) He or she has at least three (3) more years in the service before
16 reaching the compulsory retirement age and at least a year before his
17 or her maximum tenure in position.
18
19 Section19. Establishment of Fire Training Service.A Fire Training Service
20 (FTS)under the BFP shall be established. The powers and functions of the FTS
21 shall be to:
22
23 (a) Establish a fire academy and regional training centers withadequate
24 physical training facilities;
25 (b) Formulate and implement training programs for the personnel of the
26 BFP;
27 (c) Develop and implement research and development to support
28 educational training programs;
29 (d) Conduct an assessment of the training needs of all its clientele; and
30 (e) Perform such other related functions as may be prescribed by the
31 secretary.
32
33 In line with these, the FTS shall have the authority to enter into agreement
34 with educational institutions particularly with regard to the formulation and
35 implementation of training programs, among others, and meeting the
36 mandatory qualifications of the positions of the officers and personnel of the
37 BFP.
38
39 Further, the administrative and operational supervision over the National Fire
40 Training Institute (NFTI) shall be transferred from the Philippine Public Safety
41 College (PPSC) to the FTS.
42
43 Section 20. Transfer of properties, facilities and personnel. There shall
44 be complete transfer of all properties, facilities, records, pieces of equipment,
45 funds, appropriations, choses in actions, rights, functions, other assets, as well
46 as personnel of the NFTI to the BFP.
47
48 Section 21. Establishment of Search and Rescue Force (SRF),

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1 Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and HAZMAT Units.In addition to the
2 existing Fire Fighting Units, there shall be established a Search and Rescue
3 Force (SRF), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and HAZMAT Units.
4
5 Section 22. Establishment of BFP Central Hospital and BFP Regional
6 Hospitals.TheBFP shall establish and maintain Central and Regional Hospitals
7 for the benefit of the BFP officers and personnel and their dependents.
8
9 Section 23. Revised organizational structure and staffing pattern of
10 the BFP. The Chief, BFP, within ninety (90) days from the promulgation of the
11 implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of this Act, shall recommendand
12 submit to the Secretary the revised organizational structure and staffing
13 pattern for officers and personnel of the BFP, in accordance with the guidelines
14 set forth herein and as provided in the IRR.
15
16 The revised organizational structure herein mentioned shall include all the
17 offices of the BFP, the Fire Training Service, and the BFP Central and Regional
18 Hospitals.
19
20 Section 24. BFP Modernization of equipage and facilities. - The present
21 allotted annual budget of the BFP shall be augmented for the procurement of
22 modern and state of the art emergency response/transport vehicles, tools,
23 equipment, devices, gadgets, and such other facilities that are necessary for
24 the efficient performance of its functions and allied activities. In cases of a
25 declaration of a state of calamity in any locality, the BFP shall be allowed to
26 avail an emergency purchase of tools, equipment and provisions for
27 responders so as to avert further loss of lives and properties.
28
29 Section 25. Transition. The provisions herein shall be effected within three
30 (3) years after the effectivity of this Act.
31
32 Section 26. Rules and Regulations. Unless otherwise provided in this Act,
33 the Department in coordination with the BFP, shall promulgate rules and
34 regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. Such rules and
35 regulations shall take effect upon their publication in two (2) newspapers of
36 general circulation.
37

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