DUMAGUETE CITY — DCCCO Multipurpose Cooperative Hotel has elevated a fire code enforcement dispute to the Office of the Chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection, asking that enforcement of fire code notices issued by the BFP Dumaguete City Fire Station be suspended while its appeal is under review.
In a verified appeal dated June 5, 2026, the hotel — represented by Chief Executive Officer Mildredo T. Umbac — contested the Notice to Correct Violation dated April 24, 2026 and the Final Notice and Resolution on the Motion for Reconsideration dated June 2, 2026 regarding alleged violations of Republic Act 9514, otherwise known as the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008.
The respondent named in the filing is the Bureau of Fire Protection-Dumaguete City Fire Station-Negros Island Region, through FSINSP Joebert A. Sanao, acting in his capacity as Acting City Fire Marshal.
Hotel Asks BFP Chief to Halt Fine, Closure, and Hazard Signage
In its appeal, DCCCO Hotel made four specific requests to the BFP Chief: suspend enforcement of the assailed notices, suspend collection of the ₱37,500 administrative fine, stop any closure or abatement action pending resolution of the appeal, and order the removal of a "Fire Hazard" tarpaulin posted on the hotel's glass wall.
The tarpaulin — bearing the warning "WARNING: THIS BUILDING/STRUCTURE IS A FIRE HAZARD" — was posted on the hotel premises on June 3, 2026, according to the filing. The hotel argued that the posting of the signage while its appeal was pending was prejudicial to its operations and reputation.
DCCCO Hotel is located at Luke Wright Street, Poblacion No. 2, Dumaguete City.
Timeline of BFP Inspection and Compliance Steps Taken by the Hotel
According to the appeal, the sequence of events began on March 27, 2026, when the BFP issued an inspection order for the hotel property. A Notice to Comply followed on April 6, 2026, citing several deficiencies.
The cited deficiencies included exit and directional signs, preventive maintenance reports for fire safety systems, clean agent automatic fire suppression systems for IDF rooms, a server room system integrated with the Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS) panel, HFC 236fa extinguishers, and Type K extinguishers.
The filing states that DCCCO Hotel began addressing the deficiencies almost immediately. According to the appeal, the hotel installed two-way exit signages and emergency lights by April 8, began sourcing FM200 fire suppression system providers by April 9, and purchased Type K fire extinguishers and HFC 236fa ceiling-mounted units by April 20.
The hotel also said it prepared an affidavit of undertaking and attempted to submit documentary proof of purchases to the BFP, but alleged that the BFP declined to accept the document.
₱37,500 Fine Issued When One Item Allegedly Remained
By April 24, 2026 — the date the Notice to Correct Violation carrying a ₱37,500 penalty was issued — DCCCO Hotel said only one item allegedly remained for compliance: the automatic clean agent fire suppression system connected to the FDAS panel.
The hotel argued in its appeal that this remaining requirement was not a routine housekeeping correction but a specialized, cost-intensive technical system that required engineering assessment, procurement, installation, FDAS integration, testing, and commissioning.
The appeal cited a contract provision indicating that the work would require 30 to 60 days from commencement, including procurement of imported materials.
Board Approves ₱1.6-Million FM200 System Purchase
Despite the issuance of the penalty notice, DCCCO Hotel said its Board of Directors approved on April 26, 2026 the purchase of an FM200 fire suppression system from a contractor identified as Luvimar, at a cost of ₱1.6 million.
This approval came just two days after the ₱37,500 fine was issued, according to the filing, indicating that the hotel had committed to completing the remaining compliance requirement through a formal board resolution and contractual agreement.
The hotel's appeal underscored that the procurement and installation of such a system involved imported materials and technical commissioning processes that could not be completed within a short administrative deadline.
Hotel Questions Lack of Clear Legal and Technical Basis for Requirement
Beyond the compliance timeline dispute, DCCCO Hotel raised a legal and procedural question in its appeal. The filing questioned what it described as the alleged lack of a clearly stated legal and technical basis for the specific system configuration being required by the BFP.
The hotel asked the BFP Chief, at minimum, to direct the BFP to specify the exact provision of the Fire Code, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, NFPA standards, or adopted technical standard being applied, as well as state the factual findings supporting the requirement.
The appeal also requested that the hotel be granted a reasonable compliance period appropriate to the nature and complexity of the contracted suppression and FDAS integration works.
Hotel Holds Valid Fire Safety Inspection Certificates Dating Back to 2023
DCCCO Hotel noted in its filing that it had previously secured Fire Safety Inspection Certificates (FSIC) on April 20, 2023, August 1, 2024, and December 9, 2025. The most recent FSIC, the appeal states, was valid until December 13, 2026.
The hotel cited this compliance history as part of its broader argument that it had consistently engaged with fire safety requirements and had not been a chronic violator of the Fire Code.
Full Prayer for Relief Filed Before BFP Chief
In its formal prayer, DCCCO Hotel asked the BFP Chief to give due course to the verified appeal and issue an urgent order suspending enforcement of the contested notices during the pendency of the proceedings.
The hotel asked that the assailed notices be reversed and set aside in their entirety, or alternatively modified to require the BFP to clearly state applicable legal and technical standards and to grant a compliance period of 60 days — or such period as may be warranted — for the completion, testing, and commissioning of the contracted clean agent suppression and FDAS integration works.
As of June 7, 2026, no response from the BFP Office of the Chief or the BFP Dumaguete City Fire Station has been made public regarding the appeal. Breaking News Negros Oriental has reached out to the BFP for comment and will update this report as information becomes available.
The case will be watched closely given its implications for how fire code compliance timelines are applied in cases involving technically complex and cost-intensive fire suppression systems in commercial establishments.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of DCCCO Multipurpose Cooperative Hotel