As Christmas lights begin to glow across homes and communities, the Davao City Fire District (DCFD) reminded Dabawenyos that holiday must go hand in hand with fire safety.
Fire Senior Inspector Frances Marie S. Sendrijas, Chief of the Davao City Fire District’s (DCFD), Public Information Unit, emphasized the importance of inspecting wirings and appliances during the holiday season, as electrical decorations and unattended home appliances frequently cause fires.
“Isa din tung Christmas season na magbakasyon ng mahaba yung mga tao. Before leaving your homes, or out of town or any holiday trips. So first, kailangan din i-check ang cooking appliances, yung mga stoves, oven and other electrical appliances na ginagamit natin sa pag luluto na okay ba sila na iniwan natin. Na unplug ba natin sila, and yung mga appliances sa bahay natin like the television, radio, electric fans, aircon. Lahat po g nakasaksak na appliances ay i-unplug natin (Christmas is also a season when people take a long vacation. Before leaving your homes, or out of town or any holiday trips, first, check your cooking appliances, the stoves, ovens and other electrical appliances that we use to cook, if it’s okay to leave them. Unplug the appliances in our house like the television, radio, electric fans and air conditioner. Before leaving, let’s unplug all appliances that are plugged in),” she told At your service: City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on December 3, 2025.
Sendrijas advised Dabawenyos that it’s also important to use only certified decorations bearing the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) or Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) stickers, which guarantee that the products have passed safety tests.
She added that while fire occurrences in the city have decreased by 28.6 percent based on the September 2025 data compared to the same month in 2024, the holiday season remains a critical period when negligence and unsafe practices can quickly turn celebrations into tragedy.
Sendrijas also noted that electrical fires remain the common cause of holiday blazes, frequently started by overloaded or substandard decorations. Kitchen fires, open flames from candles, and residential fires caused by unplugged appliances come next.
Beyond household precautions, Sendrijas also encouraged everyone to adopt the SAFE protocol in case of fire. S- sound the alarm, A- alert the fire department, F – fight manageable fire with fire extinguisher and E for evacuate immediately.
Davao City’s strict ban on fireworks remains in effect urging Dabawenyos to comply with the ordinance to ensure a safe and peaceful Christmas Celebration.
Sendrijas advised Dabawenyos to enjoy Christmas properly and prioritize safety in order to have a joyous and fire-free Christmas and a safe start for the New Year.
“We are reminding everyone, to let us celebrate responsibly and prioritize safety. Let us always observe proper electrical, kitchen and LPG precautions, then in using decorations use only certified decorations. Let us avoid firework, kasi alam po naman nating bawal yan sa syudad natin. Have an emergency planned ready. Napaka importante nito. Together, with your family and community let us all stay vigilant, report hazards promptly and of course follow BFP guidelines to ensure a joyful and fire free Christmas and a safe start to the New Year (We are reminding everyone to celebrate Christmas responsibly and prioritize safety. Let us always observe proper electrical, kitchen and LPG precautions. And in using decorations use only certified decorations. Let us avoid fireworks, because we know that is not allowed in our city. Have an emergency planned ready. This is very important. Together, with your family and community let us all stay vigilant, report hazards promptly and of course follow BFP guidelines to ensure a joyful and fire free Christmas and a safe start to the New Year),” she added. CIO
