Want to make noise for New Year? Be creative

Despite the authorities’ appeal to the public to hold their fire and be creative in using alternative methods of noise-making for the holiday revelries, the Department of Health (DOH) still recorded 23 fireworks-related injuries as of 6 a.m. of Dec. 25.

But the figure was 28 cases or 55 percent lower than the five-year (2011-2015) average and 21 cases or 48 percent lower than the same time period last year, the “Aksyon Paputok Injury Reduction 2016” report of the DOH National Epidemiology Center said.

Most cases from NCR

Most cases (14 people or 61 percent) were from the National Capital Region. The City of Manila had the most number of cases, with six, followed by Quezon City with three cases.

The DOH appealed to local government units and the Philippine National Police to step up their campaign against illegal firecrackers.

Majority of the injuries were caused by piccolo and boga (improvised canon), the DOH noted.

While one case of firecracker ingestion was reported, there has been no reported case of death or stray-bullet injury, the DOH bulletin said.

Most of the victims were males, with age ranging from 5 to 62 years old.

Majority of the cases (17 persons or 77 percent) were “active users,” or the ones responsible for igniting the firecrackers.

“Sixteen had blast injury without amputation. Hand injuries were sustained by most (a total of 12) cases,” the report said.