MANILA, Philippines — Muntinlupa City will soon have another aerial ladder fire truck to beef up its capability in responding to fires and other emergencies.

The City of Fujisawa in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan has donated a ladder fire truck worth P60 million to Muntinlupa City.

Fujisawa Mayor Yasunori Ebine led a turnover ceremony in Fujisawa recently where he turned over the fire truck’s symbolic key to Muntinlupa Mayor Aldrin San Pedro.

They were joined by Kanagawa Rep. Makoto Kunimatsu, Yoshisuke Yamaji, Kenji Izawa of Fujisawa Shonan Lions Club, Muntinlupa Councilor Raul Corro, City Administrator Roberto Bunyi and Muntinlupa City fire marshal Roderick Aguto.

“We are very thankful to Fujisawa City for donating the fire truck. This will be a big help to our firemen,” San Pedro said.

The fire truck is a Mercedes Benz brand and weighs 19,950 kg. Its ladder has a maximum length of 40 meters.

The fire truck was scheduled to be shipped to Muntinlupa on March 23 but has since been reset due to the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan.

Muntinlupa currently has a modern fire truck called Sky Walker, the first Everdigm aerial rescue ladder fire truck in the country that can reach up to a height equivalent to a 17-storey building.