DENR urges public to refrain from lighting firecrackers for cleaner air

MANILA, Philippines — To reduce air pollution generated by firecrackers, which is largely used to welcome the new year, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu urged the public not to light firecrackers and pyrotechnics in their homes and enjoy community fireworks displays instead.

“Air pollution impacts not only on the environment, but also on the health of the people, particularly on our children and our senior citizens,” Cimatu said in a statement on Monday.

To end the year, Cimatu thanked the public for its support for “a better, environment-friendly Philippines.”

Meanwhile, the environment chief lauded the decision of several establishments to cancel their respective New Year’s Eve “balloon drop or release” events “in the name of environmental protection.”

READ: DENR welcomes cancellation of Okada balloon drop event

This developed after the DENR said it will order the event organizers at Okada Manila to stop its attempt to set a Guinness World Records dropping 130,000 balloons in an indoor dome.

READ: DENR issues order to stop record attempt of largest balloon drop at Okada

With this, the management of Okada Manila decided to cancel its balloon drop event “as a sign of respect” to the DENR.

READ: Okada cancels world-record attempt to drop largest number of balloons

Cimatu said Okada’s decision not to push through with its event “sets a precedent that is worth emulating not only by other establishments in this country, but also in other parts of the world.”

Aside from Okada, the DENR noted that several other establishments have reportedly canceled their balloon drop activities, namely The Peninsula Manila, Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, Venue 88 in General Santos City, and Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park.

The DENR said that the respective websites of the said establishments announced the cancellation of their events in support of the DENR’s environmental protection programs.

“It is with much gratitude that they listened not only to our request, but also to the call of our people, to be mindful of the impact of their activities on the environment,” Cimatu said.

“Now, more than ever, I am convinced that this nation has become truly conscious and protective of our environment,” he added. /ee