ORMOC CITY, LEYTE — Strengthening local emergency response capabilities across Western Leyte, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 8 and the City Government of Ormoc formally reaffirmed their two-decade operational partnership during the city hall flag-raising ceremony on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Led by Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez, the event highlighted the blessing of a newly acquired fire truck donated by the BFP to the local fire station, adding crucial firefighting capacity to the city's emergency infrastructure.
Blessing Of New Emergency Assets
The official delegation from BFP Region 8 included Acting Regional Director FSSUPT Crosbee B. Gumowang, DSC, Regional Chief of Staff FSSUPT Elberto C. Marqueses Jr., DSC, and Ormoc City Fire Marshal FCINSP Zardoz V. Abela.
The centerpiece of the ceremony was the formal blessing of the new BFP-donated fire engine, designed to enhance rapid response times for structural fires, industrial emergencies, and disaster rescue operations across Ormoc City’s expanding urban and rural barangays.
Two Decades Of Mutual Operational Support
Addressing city officials and emergency personnel, FSSUPT Gumowang expressed gratitude to the Ormoc City Government for its steadfast support over the past 20 years:
Sustained Investment: Municipal provision of fire trucks and fully equipped ambulances over two decades to modernise the city's fire station.
Operational Capacity: Collaborative training, infrastructure support, and joint emergency response protocols between local government units and regional fire leadership.
In response, Mayor Torres-Gomez pledged the city's continuous assistance, announcing that procurement for an additional fire engine is already underway to decommission aging fleet units and further bolster Ormoc's disaster readiness.
The joint event underscores the strong inter-agency coordination between regional safety bureaus and local government units in safeguarding communities across Eastern Visayas.
