A Police officer shows illegal fireworks confiscated during their crackdown on illegal fireworks in Bocaue Bulacan on Tuesday, December 22, 2015
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
President Benigno Aquino III has lauded the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the “all-time low” number of casualties during the revelry to welcome the New Year.
“Congratulations and please pass the JOB WELL DONE to all. HAPPY NEW YEAR,” Aquino was quoted as saying in his text message to PNP Chief Director General Ricardo Marquez.
The Department of Health has recorded 384 New Year-related emergency cases, which was said to be 57 percent lower than the five-year average and 53 percent lower than the recorded cases in 2015.
READ: DOH records 384 firecracker-related injuries
Health Secretary Janette Garin previously commended the PNP’s efforts, saying that the police’s law enforcement against prohibited firecrackers helped in reducing the number of injuries.
“The confiscations done by PNP helped a lot,” Garin said.
The DOH said hospitals performed only nine amputations and recorded no cases of firecracker ingestion.
Aquino earlier directed the PNP to strictly enforce the ban on indiscriminate firing and prohibited firecrackers, including the small and cheap but powerful “piccolo,” which remained to be the lead cause of injuries.
The PNP arrested nine persons for alleged indiscriminate firing of guns and 22 for possession and sale of prohibited firecrackers, and confiscated P1,127,629 worth of prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices. IDL
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