We, the concerned citizens of Argao and advocates for community safety, are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Carmelita Montejo, a 79-year-old woman who perished in a devastating fire that engulfed Sitio Media, Brgy. Poblacion, Argao on Saturday morning. This heartbreaking incident not only claimed a life but also left two others injured and caused extensive property damage amounting to P171,000.

The Fire station of Argao Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), situated a mere 5 minutes away from the site was unable to respond promptly due to insufficient equipment or non-functional firetruck. The other unit was already engaged in another fire incident leaving it to Carcar BFP to eventually contain the blaze.

This incident serves as an urgent reminder that our local firefighting resources are inadequate and ill-prepared for such emergencies. It is unacceptable that our community's safety is compromised due to lack of proper equipment or functional vehicles at our local fire station.

We urge the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Argao and relevant authorities at national level including Department Of Interior And Local Government (DILG) and Bureau Of Fire Protection (BFP) National Headquarters to take immediate action - upgrade firefighting equipment at Argao BFP; ensure regular maintenance checks on all firefighting vehicles; provide adequate training for firefighters; increase budget allocation towards improving emergency response capabilities.

Let's prevent further tragedies like this from happening again in our beloved town. Sign this petition now!