DILG Secretary Eduardo Año. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — With only a day ahead of the New Year, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to double its efforts on its crackdown against illegal firecrackers to prevent injuries among revelers.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año called on the PNP to strictly enforce laws regulating the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers.
“Habang papalapit ang New Year, nagsusulputan pa rin ang mga ipinagbabawal na paputok. Kaya inaatasan ko ang PNP na doblehin ang pagmomonitor at pag-iinspeksyon para siguruhing hindi kakalat sa merkado at walang gagamit o madidisgrasya sa iligal na paputok,” Año said Monday in a statement.
(As we approach the New Year, prohibited firecrackers continue to emerge. That is why I’m ordering the PNP to double its monitoring and inspection to ensure illegal firecrackers won’t be sold in the market and to prevent firecrackers-related injuries.)
“Ang mga ayaw sumunod, hulihin na po natin. Mas mabuti pang sa kulungan sila magBagong Taon kaysa makadisgrasya o madisgrasya pa sila dahil sa iligal na paputok,” he added.
(Those who don’t comply should be arrested. It’s better that they spend the New Year inside the jail than causing harm to others and to themselves due to illegal firecrackers.)
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said it has so far recorded 54 cases of fireworks-related injuries from December 21 to December 30, 2019.
The DILG noted that among the prohibited firecrackers are the following: Piccolo, Watusi, Giant whistle bomb, Giant bawang, Large judas belt, Super lolo, Lolo thunder, Atomic bomb, Atomic bomb triangulo, Pillbox, Boga, Kwiton, Goodbye earth, Goodbye bading, Hello Columbia, and Goodbye Philippines.
Penalties for those who will be caught manufacturing, selling, distributing, or using illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices may face a fine of P20,000 to P30,000, imprisonment of six months to one year, cancellation of license and business permit and confiscation of the said firecrackers.