LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The provincial government here received four heavy duty firetrucks from the South Korean province of Cheongbuk-do in accordance with the provisions of a sisterhood agreement between the two provinces which was witnessed by President Arroyo in May last year.

The more than P2 million worth of donation of the South Koreans include fire suits, waterproof caps, and shoes which will be used by local firemen in their firefighting and rescue operations in the different parts of this vegetable-producing province.

Benguet Gov. Nestor B. Fongwan admitted the donated firetrucks and its complete amenities will provide a big boost to the firefighting capabilities of the different municipal fire stations, especially with the expected increase in structural and grass fires due to the prolonged prevalence of the dry spell being triggered by the El Niño phenomenon.

Based on the deed of donation signed by the governor of Cheongbuk-do province in South Korea, the fire trucks that are complete with its necessary amenities and equipment are free gifts of the Korean people for the development of firefighting in the different parts of the province.

Fongwan disclosed that the deed of donation was accompanied by a certificate of authentication signed by Sylvia Marasigan, the consul-general based in Seoul, South Korea, to confirm that the firetrucks are really intended for Benguet as a donation to enhance the provincial and municipal governments’ firefighting capabilities in the future.

At the same time, the provincial government was also a recipient of state-of-the-art X-ray machines and five diesel-powered ambulances which were immediately distributed to the different district health units to improve the delivery of health care services to their thousands of clients, especially those coming from far-flung villages.