The water bucket relay among residents of Sta. Mesa in Manila helped volunteer firefighters put out the fire that raged on the night of August 21 until early Monday morning of August 22, 2022, and depleted their water supply. The fire broke out in a residential area at the corner of Valencia and Anonas Streets in Barangay 636 in Sta. Mesa. The Bureau of Fire Protection raised the first alarm at 10:16 PM on August 21, 2022, the second alarm at 10:20 PM, and the third alarm at 10:37 PM.
Boidale Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Renante Blanco quickly assessed the well’s water quality and ensured it was clean to avoid damaging the Pumper 11’s system. As soon as the “go” signal was given, the residents promptly took out all the buckets they could provide and started a bucket relay while Boidale Volunteers took out their hoses and nozzles. The fire brigade instructed the people to form two lines and not panic for an orderly relay. There were two sources of water supply for the bucket relay, the deep well and another resident’s own metered water. Pails and buckets of different sizes filled with water were quickly relayed as if they were weightless. Boidale volunteer firefighter Andrew Tenedero organized the refilling of the fire truck while Mimi Escano and Rovie Parada pointed the nozzle directly at the fire.
Bayanihan, the Filipino spirit of community service and cooperation, was evident as people continued the relay for nearly half an hour until the Bureau of Fire Protection declared ‘fire out’ at 12:42 AM. The firefighters commended the initiative of the residents to help supply water. The brigade chief also mentioned that it was the least but also the best thing the residents could do since firefighting involves strategy and a plan of action. The fire may have left the residents of Barangay 636 without homes, but they still get to keep their innate Pinoy Bayanihan spirit that would help them endure and survive the challenges they face.
Filipinos are known to display their Bayanihan spirit to help each other survive in times of difficulty, such as when the Taal Volcano erupted and caused the evacuation of residents in nearby areas, and when the country needed help in hosting foreign visitors coming to the Philippines for the Southeast Asian Games.
Source: Martina Joyce M. Torres, Good News Pilipinas
