Early reports show fewer New Year firecracker victims in Quezon

A policeman holds seized firecrackers. INQUIRER.NET FILE

LUCENA CITY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Quezon province reported a drop in the number of individuals injured by firecrackers during the revelries to greet the New Year.

As of midday on New Year’s Day, nine persons, the youngest a seven year old boy, were reported injured from firecracker blasts, mostly from ‘piccolo,’ in Quezon, according to an initial PNP report.

The initial number was far below the recorded 53 victims of firecracker-related injuries during the New Year celebration last year.

Senior Superintendent Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Quezon PNP chief, attributed the drop in the number of victims to the police public safety campaign during the holiday.

Quezon police had been conducting the campaign on mainstream and social media platforms like Facebook.

All Facebook pages of different municipal police stations carried advisory posters and gory photos of firecrackers victims to remind the public on the dangers posed by the use of illegal firecrackers.

Police public information officers have also been busy radio hopping to air the government appeal for a safe celebration by promoting alternative forms of merry making in welcoming the New Year.

“Based on initial reports, it seems that our public advisory campaign paid off,” Ylagan said.

Quoting initial reports from different municipal police stations, Ylagan said at least seven (five of them children) of the nine victims were hurt by ‘piccolo’, an illegal firecracker.

Another victim had hand injuries from “plapla” while the other had hand injuries from “kwitis”.

Prior to the New Year celebration, Quezon police operatives seized an estimated P7,000 worth of illegal firecrackers in the towns of Lucban, Unisan and Padre Burgos.