If the new City Fire Marshall make good of his promise, thousands of students could expect safe boarding houses, at least, during his term.

Fire Marshall C/Insp. Joe Fernan Bangyod assured Baguio officials he will initiate reforms to make the Baguio Fire Department a unit with accomplishments from an office usually bombarded with complaints by the transacting public.

Bangyod, who, according to Mayor Mauricio Domogan is an accomplished fire officer, also emphasized his program to ensure that boarding houses and dormitories in Baguio are fire-safe.

The new fire marshal was once a college student at the University of Baguio before he entered the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

Domogan lauded the program of Bangyod, saying he recently issued Administrative Order 65, s. 2012, which created a committee to inspect students’ dormitories and apartments.

The mayor vowed that boarding houses violating the Building Code, fire safety measures, and Sanitation Code should be locked up.

Baguio is the education center north of Manila with pupils and students composing bulk of the more than 300,000 population of the city.

“To maintain a peaceful, orderly and safe environment for students in the city, there is a need to regularly inspect the accommodation facilities to assure they comply with existing laws, rules and regulations as to safety, health and sanitation, structural integrity set forth by applicable laws in the Philippines,” the mayor said in his AO.

Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Safety-City Office, City Buildings and Architecture Office, Health Services Office, and Public Order and Safety Division were assigned to the inspection team.

Issues and concerns on boarding houses and dormitories were also discussed during the press presentation of the candidates for Miss Baguio 2012.

One of the candidates suggested that the city government must help in convincing owners of dormitories and boarding houses to provide a better living condition and avoid overcrowding of tenants.

“Dormitory owners should provide a better living condition. Rooms should not be filled to the maximum. Separate males from the females including their bath and rest rooms,” the contestant said.

Another candidate said separating males from females could give more respectability to both of them.