Senate commends injured P’que firefighter

For heroism and commitment to his job as firefighter, Fire Inspector Enrique Francisco received a commendation from the Senate.

Francisco, who works for the Parañaque City fire department, was commended for "his heroism, valor and devotion to his job as a firefighter" by the Senate, which adopted a resolution to that effect introduced by Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.

"The Senate will award a plaque to Francisco in a formal ceremony in the upper chamber," said Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs.

The Senate adopted Villar’s resolution after reading a front-page story on Francisco published in The STAR Wednesday.

Francisco suffered a broken back and spinal damage 10 months ago after part of a burning roof fell on him as he was rescuing a woman trapped in a burning house in Parañaque City.

Despite the spinal trauma and the constant back pain and paralysis that resulted from the injury, Francisco said he wants to get well so he can return to work fighting fires alongside his comrades at the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Francisco and two other firemen were earlier given recognition by the Department of the Interior and Local Government for their heroic act. The BFP is a bureau of the DILG.

In a related development, a Japanese non-government organization (NGO) is set to donate sorely needed firefighting equipment to the BFP to reduce the bureau’s chronic shortages.

BFP director Chief Superintendent Rogelio Asignado said the Batis Nippon NGO has pledged to provide his bureau with two second-hand fire trucks and other second-hand firefighting equipment such as helmets, hoses and fire coats. — Christina Mendez, Cecille Suerte Felipe