DILG to acquire 1,500 fire trucks, targeting P9-billion cost savings

MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is moving forward with an ambitious plan to procure 1,500 new fire trucks by 2027, part of efforts to modernize the country's fire-fighting capabilities and address a persistent shortage of equipment across Philippine municipalities and cities.

The procurement project, budgeted at P15 billion, aims to distribute firefighting vehicles to fire stations nationwide that currently operate with aging or insufficient equipment. By consolidating the purchase into a single large-scale procurement contract, DILG officials say the government stands to realize substantial cost efficiencies.

"This bulk procurement approach allows us to negotiate better unit prices and standardize equipment specifications across the country," an interior department official explained. The arrangement is expected to yield savings of at least P9 billion compared to traditional acquisition methods, which typically involve smaller, fragmented purchases by individual local government units.

The phased delivery timeline extending to 2027 allows for budget allocation across multiple fiscal years while ensuring fire departments nationwide receive modern vehicles equipped with updated firefighting technology. Officials said the initiative responds to growing concerns about emergency response capacity in areas experiencing rapid urbanization and increased fire incidents.

The DILG has not yet announced specific procurement timelines or the technical specifications of the planned fire trucks.