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Five-Year Initiative Plan
Tiwi Fire Station

A. Problem Analysis

 1. What was the problem before the implementation of the initiative?
Before February 2010, the public perception was that the function of Tiwi Fire Station was merely administrative in nature (i.e. the issuance of Fire Safety Inspection Certificates / Fire Safety Evaluation Clearances for the renewal of Business Permit). Because of this, the Tiwi Fire Station was relatively known only to business and economic sectors. The carrying out of public services was merely concentrated within the mandated tasks and social interaction, thus, the conduct of social or community services, was wanting. Tiwi Fire Station was virtually inexistent to the general public, especially to the remote social groups like the ethnic minorities.

B. Strategic Approach

 2. What was the solution?
o Under the leadership of SFO3 Simeon H Ballon, he proposed a “Five-Year Initiative Plan: A Road-map to the Delivery of Better Public Service” that planned, developed and implemented a series of programs and projects to better introduce the Bureau to the public. The Five-Year Initiative Plan putmore emphasis in the following facets of public service: 1. Development and Improvement of Fire Station and its Equipmentto include making the Fire Station physically known to the public by putting signages and improving the station’s administrative office and quarters to better serve the clientele, etc.; 2. Intensification of Fire Safety Enforcement Activities – performance of activities which would strengthen the attainment and delivery of our mandated tasks to include but will not be limited to a. Fire safety Inspections to establishments within our area of responsibility b. Conduct of Fire safety lectures and drills in all schools of Tiwi district c. Conduct of seminars for establishments holding clients 50 and above as well as having a large number of employees d. organization of fire brigades in barangays and industrial companies, e. conduct of UgnayansaBarangays f. Other activities involving Fire prevention 3. Social Welfare and Health Services for different social groups – includes theconduct of medical and dental missions, feeding activities for the underprivileged children, etc; and 4. Environmental Initiatives to mitigate the ill-effects of climate change–conduct of tree planting activities as well as clean and green programs. The intensification of the Fire Prevention Activities paved the way to the discovery of the ethnic minorities, the Tiwi’s Tribal Communities, an oft-neglected ethnic group who needed social welfare programs from the government.A Christmas Feeding program for the underprivileged children of Tabgon Elementary School, most of whom belonged to the ethnic minority was realized on December 2010.A Medical and Dental Mission for the four (4) tribal communities of Tiwi was held on March 11, 2011. Through the realization of these programs, the Tiwi Fire Station has successfully begun the delivery of an extended public service to one of the community’s vulnerable groups. They are now planning and preparing for their fifth year of bringing Christmas cheers to school children on remote barangays. Through the conduct of Tree Planting Activities.participating in the Clean and green Programs of the community, Conduct of Ugnayansa Barangays, organization and reorganization of Volunteer and Company Brigades,Tiwi Fire Station is now known on the 25 barangays of Tiwi.
 3. How did the initiative solve the problem and improve people’s lives?
The Five-Year Initiative Plan was creative and innovative in the sense that it allows the community to be more conscious to the present social and environmental problems of the society, thereby proactively involving the community in promoting social and environmental responsibility and commitment.

C. Execution and Implementation

 4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
After the development of the Five – year implementation plancame the development of the action plan to be able to achieve best results. All programs will and should bear the following elements. Specific - The team identified which programs can be done immediatelyon a certain definite time. Measurable - The team focused on measurable results, outcomes which they hope and pray would producenoticeable rewards. Agreement - The team agreed on one purpose only for every program for implementation, EFFECTIVE and RESULT-DRIVEN. Realistic - The team is confident and believedall results are possible to achieve. The team will focus on coordinating with the best available resources. Time-specific - Deadlines for achieving each stage are set. The ultimate goal is also given a deadline in the foreseeable future. Trivial enough to be handled.Great enough to show results. Supportive back-up - The team believed that a helping relationship is useful for all stages of the implementation that is why the details of what kind of support the station needs in order to realize a project is clearly spelled out, discussed in every meeting and solved to the best of their ability. Since not all implementation plans are carried out perfectly due to unavoidable circumstances, the team , through its conduct of regular station meetings, discussed and agreedthat programs written in the implementation plan will be targeted and accomplished according to the availability of resources and according to its degree of possibility. Some key developments are: 1. Upgrading of Office Equipment and Extension of the station’s Administrative Office 2. Intensification of fire safety inspections to business establishments 3. The discovery of an upland school having a population of 106 underprivileged children and later led to the conduct of a Christmas Feeding Program on Dec. 22, 2010 for the pupils of TABGON Elementary School where most of the pupils are members of the Tabgon Tribal Community.Lacking of funds, through their collaborated effort and initiative and with the help of some helpful families of the community they were able to give an unusual Christmas gift to the Tabgon Tribal Community in the form of educational supplies, used clothing and the serving of nutritious food to the school children. 4. After the feeding program SFO3 Simeon H Ballon had a rare opportunity to have a dialogue with the Federation Chieftain of the Aeta’s Tribal Community of Tiwi. The Indigenous People of Tiwi was in dire need of medical and dental attention. Having in mind the purpose of preserving the perpetuity of these people and for the purpose of building national unity and development, the personnel of Tiwi Fire Station had unanimously given their willingness to help and conduct a medical and dental mission. Hard as it seemed at the time to raise funds, the Tiwi Fire Station asked the assistance of various agencies region-wide. Soon private sectors from the Tiwi Community joined hands to make this medical and dental mission worth remembering, especially the Aboitiz Power Renewables, Inc. (APRI). On 11 March 2011, by religiously performing the respective assigned tasks, the Medical and Dental Mission was successfully conducted. A total of five hundred ninety (590) members of the tribal communities of Joroan, Misibis, Tabgon and Mayong were given medical and dental attentions. For the willingness, initiative, ingenuity and diligence of the personnel of Tiwi Fire Station for this cultural and humanitarian endeavor, they were awarded and conferred aGantimpalaAgad Award on 11 April 2011 by the Civil Service Commission Regional Office No. 5. On March 17, 2012 another 5. Soon after, all programs one by one came into reality. The station accomplished the conduct of Fire Safety Education and Drills to all the schools within Tiwi District. This enabled them to identify which schools to choose for the conduct of Feeding Programs. December 2011 was for the undernourished children of Barangay Naga, December 2012 was for the pupils of BagumbayanElementary School and December 2013 was for the Senior citizens of Barangay Joroan. This year is for the pupils of Belen Elementary School. 6. The station also accomplished the organization of the Company Fire Brigades of the two (2) Industrial Companies within Tiwi, APRI and PGPC, Inc. as well as the reorganization of the Municipal Emergency Rescue Team. These groups duly finished their Competency Trainings conducted by the BFP. 7. In the universal campaign of preserving and maintaining a well-balanced ecology and as one of the solutions in mitigating the devastating effects of climate change the conduct of “TUMANA Run – Run, Jog, Walk and Tree Planting Activity for a Well-Balanced Ecology and the Promotion Eco-Tourist Agricultural Park” was held on 01 March 2013 attended by 1,253 participants from the different sectors of the community. Another tree planting activity was conducted on March 8, 2014 at Joroan National High School. 8. In the midst of giving dedicated public service to the people of Tiwi, the Tiwi Fire Station personnel found time to reach out and help two needy persons in the name of Jose Beraña,bedridden and being taken cared of only by his wife with no regular source of income, a resident of Mayong, Tiwi, Albay and Kevin Copioso, a 15 year-old boy from Brgy. Naga, Tiwi, Albay. crippledfor life.Armed with “tiklad” and yantok as well as a bit of GI sheet, the group TREKKED to Jose Beraña’s home funded by the station personnel on May 3, 2011 and Kevin became the recipient of wheelchair donated by Ako Bicol (AKB) Partylist on 05 May 2012 at DZGB Radio Station, Legazpi City.
 5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
In the realization of Tiwi Fire Station’s programs and activities, contributions were received from the following stakeholders. Fabrication and installation of signages to conspicuous places 1. Local Government Unit of Tiwi – General Services Office Development and/or fabrication of humane sleeping quarters / barracks of personnel with their lockers Extension of Administrative Office 1. Tiwi Watershed Fabrication of perimeter fences 1. Proceeds from the “TUMANA RUN 2013” Upgrading of Office Equipment 1. APRI 2. LGU Christmas Feeding Programs 1. Proceeds from Christmas Caroling ( December 2010) 2. Local government Unit of Tiwi ( Dec 2010 – Dec 2013) 3. Universal Robina Corp. (Dec 2011 – Dec 2013) 4. Other stakeholders For the Medical and Dental Missions a. Rotary Club of Metro Legazpi b. Albay Provincial Health Office (APHO) c. Department of Health-Regional Office 5 d. Office of the Regional Headquarters 5 e. Office of the Provincial Fire Marshal-Albay f. National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) g. Local Government Unit-Tiwi h. Sangguniang Bayan of Tiwi i. Ligangmga Barangay j. Tiwi – Rural Health Unit (Tiwi-RHU) k. Tiwi-PNP l. Provincial Board Members of Albay and m. Aboitiz Power Renewables, Inc (APRI) n. Albay Doctors Medical Association o. Triskelion TUMANA RUN 2013 / Coloring Our World Green with trees 2014 1. LGU 2. Noah Waters 3. Triskelion 4. Tiwi – PNP & APSC 1st Maneuver Platoon 5. Tiwi – Watershed 6. Rescue 222 7. ARCHER
 6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
To implement the programs contained in the Five-Year Initiative Plan of the station to deliver a better public service, they have tapped and asked for the assistance of their major stakeholders. The Local Government Unit of Tiwi assisted in the station’s programs and activities by providing gas allocations, supply of rice for station consumption and for giving financial assistance whenever needed; Aboitiz Power Renewables, Inc. provided most of the medicines dispensed during the conduct of the two (2) Medical and Dental Missions; Universal Robina Corporation donated biscuits and juices for distribution to the recipients of the station’s Feeding Programs since 2011; Tiwi – Watershed for providing the seedlings for the tree Plantings and lumbers for the station’s office extension; Triskelion Grand Fraternity members served as Marshals during the Tumana Run 2013 and helped with the facilitation of the Medical & Dental Mission for the Senior Citizens ; Noah Waters provided drinking water for the participants of the TUMANA RUN 2013; Tiwi – PNP, ARCHER and Rescue 222 also served as marshals during the conduct of the TUMANA RUN 2013 and other activities and other stakeholders contributed.
 7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
1. For the willingness, initiative, ingenuity and diligence of the personnel of Tiwi Fire Station for this cultural and humanitarian endeavor, the station personnel were awarded and conferred a GantimpalaAgad Award on 11 April 2011 by the Civil Service Commission Regional Office No. 5. 2. The personnel of Tiwi Fire Station received a MedalyangKasanayan, pursuant to the Bureau Order No. AWD-2012-132 dated 19 June 2012, signed by F/CSUPT SAMUEL R PEREZ, CESO VI (DSC), for all the hard work and efforts exerted in 2011. The pinning of medal and citation badge gave them honor and inspiration to do more public service for the community. 3. September is also memorable to them all. Their Municipal Fire Marshal, SFO4 Simeon H Ballon, received a distinct recognition as a civil servant when he was chosen by the Civil Service Commission Regional Office No. 5 as the 2012 BayaningKawani Awardee. 4. On October 24, 2013, their Municipal Fire Marshal, SFO4 Simeon H Ballon received a recognition from the Civil Service Commission as a 2013 Dangalng Bayan Awardee during the Civil Service Commission Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees. 5. Lastly, the Tiwi Fire Station successfully built bridges to the community and stakeholders making it easier for them to work for the realization of their chosen projects and activities.
 8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
Monitoring of the implementation of the station initiative was done through the regular conduct of station meetings, regular communication with the stakeholders and key players to address problems arising in the planning of every activity.
 9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
The main obstacle encountered is the Lack of funds. Addressedbylooking for sponsors from different stakeholders. Feeding programs were partially funded by the station personnel.The extension of the administrative office were partly funded by the station personnel from the monetary reward extended by their Municipal Fire Marshal from the money he received for being the 2013 CSC Dangalng Bayan Awardee. Other activities were funded from the help of their active stakeholders.

D. Impact and Sustainability

 10. What were the key benefits resulting from this initiative?
a. Tiwi Fire Station is now known in the community of Tiwi. b. Because the personnel of Tiwi Fire Station shared their knowledge to young students regarding alerto or safety tips in case a disaster occurs, provided flyers for the teachers of the every school for their steady reference, designed a uniform earthquake and fire drill scenario to be performed by the teachers and students, gave them an orientation on what to do in case an earthquake occurs during class hours, these helped them perform their duties of taking care of their students and ensuring their safety while under their temporary supervision. c. Because the Tiwi Fire Station personnel went out of their way to reach out to the less privileged sector of the community, they were able to find compassion and concern to the plight of indigenous people of Tiwi. They have moved forward beyond their call of duty as fire officers, helping another human beings regardless of their background of civilization. d. Through the intensification of fire safety inspections, collection of fire code fees have also improved, gaining a 32% increase in fire code fees collection and attainment of zero major fire incident. e. By organizing the Company Brigades of APRI and PGPC, Inc., the station strengthened ties with them. f. By reorganizing the Municipal Emergency Rescue Team the station were able to increase the first-responders during fire and similar emergencies thereby addressing their dilemma of the lack of station personnel.
 11. Did the initiative improve integrity and/or accountability in public service? (If applicable)
Given the dedication of the present personnel of the station in the delivery of public service, we can say that YES, this initiative is sustainable and transferable.
 12. Were special measures put in place to ensure that the initiative benefits women and girls and improves the situation of the poorest and most vulnerable? (If applicable)
SFO4 Simeon Honasan Ballon’s positive response to the call of service in each turn, using the humble opportunities present, through single-mindedness coupled with persistent dedication and commitment, marked his nobility which enabled him to put flesh to Section 1, Article XI 1987 Philippine Constitution, and consequently rebuild lives, to wit:: “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.” Philippines, as it works towards its coveted economic progress for its people, has to likewise deal with issues on graft and corruption. Having dragged for years, its effect had already crept into the society: 1) the general public who tends to be lukewarm in supporting government programs and projects viewing government officials and employees as unreliable, inefficient, if not corrupt; and 2) government officials and employees who, reacting on the pervading response of the general public, tend to be half-hearted in their dedication and commitment, viewing government work not as service, but as means of living, a way to support their personal needs. These two effects, that in the general public and that in the government officials and employees, tends to affect each other in a cyclical manner; one feeding the other. Thus, finding SFO4 Simeon Honasan Ballon’s life service story to be cut from a different grain, with varied services rendered at different times, harmonized under the banner of commitment, and in the name of service to the people and to my country who are both in need of everyday heroes to sustain the fight for progress, I hereby nominate him for the United Nations Public Service Awards for his unwavering commitment for service.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Tiwi Fire Station
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Simeon Ballon
Title:   Fire Marshal  
Telephone/ Fax:   (052) 488-5467
Institution's / Project's Website:  
E-mail:   tiwifire@yahoo.com  
Address:   Tiwi, Albay
Postal Code:   4513
City:   Legazpi City
State/Province:   Albay
Country:  

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