Kalibo dads want fire marshall out
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – The beleaguered fire marshal is counting her stay in Kalibo fire station.
This after the Sangguniang Bayan members expressed their loss of confidence to the performance of Kalibo Fire Marshall Senior Insp. Gweenah Besas and urged the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to replace her.
SB member Melanie Tolentino said vital government offices such as the Municipal Planning and Development Office for zoning clearance, the Municipal Health Office for the sanitary and health cards issuance, the Kalibo PNP for police clearance and the Kalibo Fire Station for fire clearance composed the ‘One-Stop-Shop’.
It aimed to fast track the processing of permits and clearances prior to the issuance of permits and other licenses by the local government unit, she added.
But the three-termer SB member observed that during the stint of Besas as Kalibo Fire Marshall, her office failed to provide a representative in the ‘one-stop-shop’.
“This non-provision of representative was noted by Mayor Raymar Rebaldo and that it was brought to the attention of Besas. Unfortunately, this was not acted upon favorably, to the disadvantage and inconvenience of the transacting public,” Tolentino added.
In Resolution No. 2007-012 approved by the SB members, it stressed, “the clear defiance of the establishment of the ‘One-Stop-Shop’ under DILG Memorandum Circular No. 99-35 including the provision of ample office spaces to facilitate the issuance of Fire Safety Inspection and other certificates.”
Tolentino also criticized the urgent transfer of a Kalibo fire truck to the Boracay Fire Station in Boracay Island without prior notification to Mayor Rebaldo and the SB.
“This is a clear manifestation of disrespect and obvious bypassing of the local officials who should be first to know considering the pull out of the fire truck involves public safety and security affecting the entire community,” she said.
Over DYRG Budyong ng Kalibo, Rebaldo confirmed that Besas failed to communicate with him despite the appointments made by her to discuss the issues for a better delivery of services in the community.
“The disrespect, unsupportive and ‘I do not care’ attitude of Besas has lost the trust and confidence of the local government of Kalibo prompting us to seek the assistance of DILG to replace Besas,” the SB members said.
What added to the dismay of the SB members is the collection of additional 10 percent to all charges collected by the local government of Kalibo including that of business and real property taxes without any clarification with Rebaldo and the SB members.
Besas said the accumulated amount paid clearances and permits – police, zoning, realty tax, rental and charges, fire, sanitary permit, medical certificate, cost of health card, business tax (lessor tax), garbage tax and mayor’s permit and special occasion permit is subjected to additional 10 percent fee known as Fire Safety Inspection Fee under Section 1.206 of the Fire Code of the Philippines.