Santa Claus holds placards to remind the public against the dangers posed by firecrackers as New Year’s Eve nears. —Earvin Perias
Southern cities in the metropolis will no longer welcome the New Year with a bang after they opted to do away with firecrackers.
The cities of Taguig, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa, and the municipality of Pateros are implementing a “total firecracker ban,” which prohibits the manufacture, display, sales and distribution of firecrackers, pyrotechnic devices and similar exploding devices.
Violators of the ban on firecrackers will be penalized by a fine or imprisonment. Establishments caught selling them will have their permits revoked.
The mayors said they were doing it for a good cause: to bring down the number of injuries and prevent deaths due to improper handling and accidents brought by firecrackers, especially to children.
In Las Piñas, Mayor Mel Aguilar ordered an information campaign on the dangers of use of firecrackers—including losing limbs, damage to properties and environment and even loss of life.
“This is to protect the safety of our children,” Aguilar said.
Partial ban
Makati City, on the other hand, will impose a partial firecracker ban this year.
Since 2010, the barangays of Bangkal, Magallanes and Pio del Pilar has not seen firecrackers and fireworks due to the West Tower oil leak.
This year, nine more barangays were added “due to lack of fire stations and firetrucks,” including Rizal, Cembo, East Rembo, Northside, Pinagkaisahan, Carmona, Olympia, San Antonio and Sta. Cruz.
The mayors’ decision to limit the use of firecrackers is in line with President Duterte’s Executive Order No. 28, signed in June which confines firecracker use to “community fireworks display” supervised by the police and local government units.
In southern metro, revelers may troop to four community fireworks display areas, including San Miguel Bay near Mall of Asia in Pasay, Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, and Filinvest City in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
Designated areas
Use of firecrackers is confined only to areas specified by the police. Pasay provided several places for firecrackers use at open courts and vacant lots. Makati only designated the open courts at Cactus and Umbel in Pembo. Parañaque did not specify a firecracker zone.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Oscar Albayalde said police would be deployed to the designated firecracker areas to “aim for zero firecracker-related incidents.”
Illegal firecrackers
“Let us make sure no child will lose a finger. This season is supposed to be for them to enjoy,” Albayalde said on a statement. He also appealed to parents to look after their children to keep them safe during the holidays.
Police will also confiscate illegal firecrackers listed on the joint interagency memorandum in 2014 as well as the Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular No. 2017-168, such as piccolo, super lolo, whistle bomb, Goodbye Earth, atomic big triangulo, Judas belt and watusi.
Also considered illegal are firecrackers with fuse that burn in less than three seconds or more than six seconds; firecrackers with mixture of phosphorus or sulfur, and chlorate; polyvinyl pipe or boga; and other types of firecrackers with explosive powder of more than 0.2 grams or 1/3 teaspoon.