QC tightens regulations on sale of firecrackers

MANILA, Philippines–The Quezon City has issued guidelines on the sale of firecrackers to prevent the loss of lives or limbs during the New Year’s Eve revelry.

Mayor Herbert Bautista recently signed Memorandum Circular No. 20 to regulate the sale of pyrotechnics in Metro Manila’s second most dangerous city in terms of firecracker-related injuries.

Quezon City posted the second-highest number of recorded injuries due to firecrackers from Dec. 31, 2013, to Jan. 1, according to a Department of Health report. Manila was in first place with 163, followed by Quezon City with 84 and Marikina with 34, it added.

Under the memorandum, those who plan to sell firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices on sidewalks and other temporary vending areas are required to get a hawker’s permit from the city’s Market Development and Administration Department.

Their wares, however, should come from registered manufacturers and consist only of legal firecracker products such as baby rockets, bawang, small triangulo, pulling of strings, paper caps, el diablo, Judas belt, sky rockets (kwitis), sparklers, luces, fountain, jumbo, mabuhay, Roman candle, trompillo, airwolf, whistle and butterfly.–Rima Granali