New Year ‘safest’ in San Juan, Muntinlupa, Davao

If you prefer spending New Year’s eve away from the noise and dangers of firecrackers, then these three cities offer the best refuge.

San Juan, Muntinlupa and Davao have consistently recorded zero to minimal incidence of firecracker-related injuries over the last couple of years, according to the Department of Health.

“We can see a positive correlation between the incidence of firecracker-related injuries and the implementation of a total ban on firecrackers and we see a trend [of zero casualties] in areas enforcing the ban,” Health Secretary Janette Garin said at a recent press briefing.

Garin said the cities of San Juan and Muntinlupa in Metro Manila and Davao City in Mindanao may be considered the safest places to be in a country where hundreds of people lose their fingers or eyesight during the New Year revelry.

The use and sale of firecrackers have been prohibited in Davao City since 2001 while Muntinlupa started enforcing a ban in 2013. San Juan has strictly imposed ordinances on firecrackers and fireworks since 2007.

Meanwhile, the cities of Dagupan in Pangasinan province and Mandaluyong and Manila in the National Capital Region have been identified by the DOH as the worst places to welcome the New Year based on last year’s injury list, Garin said.

Records show that Metro Manila accounted for more than half of the 860 firecracker-related injuries last year. The Ilocos region ranked second with 8 percent of the total.