Ban of "watusi" sale eyed

CEBU, Philippines - For the umpteenth time, parents are again warned of the “watusi” which has grown to be a ubiquitous plaything during the Christmas season.

Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella is requesting school officials and the Parents Teachers Community Associations of various schools in the city to coordinate in the banning of “watusi” sale, most especially, in the vicinity of learning institutions.

Labella is afraid that this particular variety of the firecracker also known as “dancing fire” may give parents problems once this would be swallowed by schoolchildren. Though it may not be toxic-looking, the minute “watusi” is made up of poisonous substances that pose risks to children’s health.

Labella said the harmless-looking “watusi” is composed of four poisonous chemicals – trinitrotoloune, potassium nitrate, potassium chlorate and yellow phosphorous. When swallowed, especially by children aged five years and below, poisoning immediately occurs with damaging effects to the heart, liver, kidney and brain which might even lead to death if not quickly attended to by doctors.

He added that the medical experts told him “watusi” when swallowed can also cause bleeding as a result of direct injury to the lining of the esophagus, stomach and intestines.

The “watusi” is popular to children because aside from its cheap cost compared to other firecrackers, it is readily available in stores and from street vendors. Although “watusi” is weak in terms of explosive power, its chemical composition is lethal when ingested. 

“Perhaps one effective approach to shield children against the dangerous ‘watusi’ and other small firecrackers is by way of admonishing parents to discourage their children from buying and playing with it,” Labella said.

The north district councilor also said that the administrators of public and private primary schools in Cebu City could also help in preventing “watusi” and other small firecrackers from ending up in the hands of schoolchildren through a school-based information campaign.

In his proposed resolution to be discussed by the City Council on Wednesday, Labella also requested the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Education to ban the sale of “watusi” near or within the premises of all public and private primary schools in this city in order to shield the schoolchildren from the hazardous firecracker. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)