Makati, with 360 high-rises, has no aerial ladder

MANILA, Philippines - For a city with 360 high-rise buildings, the Makati City Central Fire Station lacks an aerial ladder that would enable firefighters to rescue persons or put out fires up to 12 stories, an official said yesterday.

Makati fire marshal Superintendent Samuel Tadeo said the city’s aerial ladder is in need of repair and cannot be used. “It is more practical to buy a new one than have it repaired,” Tadeo told The STAR.

At present, Makati is home to three of the country’s five tallest buildings. The 52-story PBCOM Tower along Ayala Avenue is considered as the 118th tallest building in the world at 259 meters tall, according to www.pinoycivilengineers.com.

The Makati central business district also has the country’s second tallest building, the 47-story GT Towers, which stands 217 meters; and the fourth tallest building in the country, the Petron Megaplaza, which stands at 210 meters.

Tadeo is hoping the P32 million in fire taxes that the Makati City Central Fire Station had collected last January, could be used to buy a new aerial ladder. Tadeo said the collected amount was remitted to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Tadeo said it is up for the BFP to decide the allocation of funds for the purchase of a new aerial ladder. The Makati City government, he said, has assured them that funds will be allocated for the purchase of a new aerial ladder, which would cost at least P70 milllion.

According to Tadeo, only Quezon City, Pasig, Muntinlupa and Manila have aerial ladders.