Duterte to ban firecrackers nationwide if he wins as president

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

DAVAO CITY, Philipppines — Christmas and New Year would not be the same if Mayor Rodrigo Duterte wins as president.

Duterte, who has been consistently scoring high in popularity surveys, said he would impose a firecracker ban in the whole country to ensure the people’s safety during the Christmas and New Year revelries, should he win as president in the 2016 elections.

Duterte, who has taken pride of the zero-casualty rate of Davao City in terms when it came to accidents caused by firecrackers, said he would replicate what he has done in Davao in the entire country to make the citizens safe during Christmas and New Year. Duterte, however, said the firecracker industry would still thrive despite the ban because he would encourage industry players to export their firecrackers to countries that consume big volumes of firecrackers during their festivities and celebrations.

“Better to export them instead of selling them here,” Duterte said.

“We have zero casualty in Davao City because of the firecrackers’ ban,” he said. “There should no longer be any accident due to firecrackers in the country by replicating the ban nationwide.”

Duterte also vowed to eventually phase out the practice of labor contractualization commonly being practiced by companies to keep their operations cost low in the advent of fiercer competition brought about by the opening up of markets.

“I know that business is a bit scared about my stand on labor contractualization, but if you don’t like it, you don’t have to vote for me,” he said.

“I am here to serve the people’s interest and not the interest of business,” he added.  SFM