476 injured by firecrackers

MANILA, Philippines - Perhaps times are hard, or maybe the warnings are working. The Department of Health (DOH) recorded fewer firecracker-related injuries during the New Year’s Eve revelry, with government hospitals nationwide reporting a 13 percent decline in cases compared to last year.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said as of 6 a.m. yesterday, there were 476 cases of firecracker-related injuries, or 13 percent lower than the 546 cases recorded last year.

“But I am not happy with the 13 percent rate because we were hoping it would be much lower and also because of the fact that we still recorded 18 cases of stray bullet incidents,” Ona said.

He said treatment for those who suffered firecracker-related injuries cost the national and local governments roughly P15 million.

“This is only the cost of medical treatment, not to mention the economic impact on those who lost fingers and limbs,” Ona said.

Based on reports of 50 government hospitals nationwide, a majority of the cases recorded, or 66 percent, came from the Metro Manila, followed Calabarzon and the Ilocos Region.

Ona said victims aged 10 and younger made up 37 percent of the total cases.

He said illegal fireworks caused 185 or 41 percent of the cases, with the cheap “piccolo” responsible for 81 percent of the total reported injuries.

“Judging from the data, it seems that our campaign encouraging parents to restrict their children from using firecrackers was not effective since a majority of the patients were young children below 10 years,” Ona said.

Considering that majority of the injuries were due to the use of legal firecrackers, Ona said it is apparent that there is a need to look into calls to implement a total ban on the use of firecrackers in the coming year.

He said use of firecrackers should be strictly prohibited among children below 12 years.

Ona further expressed concern about the stray bullet incidents.

“While we have recorded 22 percent lower cases, stray bullet incidence is still worrisome so we have to rethink rules to control indiscriminate firing of guns,” he said.

Ona said the DOH and other concerned government agencies would soon be holding a summit to discuss other strategies to further reduce incidence of firecracker-related injuries in the country.

Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said the DOH would continue monitoring cases of firecracker-related injuries until Jan. 5, while monitoring of tetanus cases resulting from firecracker wounds would start today until Jan. 21.

Tayag said the DOH is still confident that they would be able to post a 30 percent reduction in the cases of firecracker-related injuries when they have collated all the data.

He said the DOH has posted zero casualties from the sentinel sites, but there could be fatalities from other hospitals.

Tayag said the compact disc (CD) containing recorded sounds of fireworks, which the DOH released as part of its effort to reduce firecracker use, posted 50,000 downloads online.

“Although 50,000 downloaded our CD, we still have to check if they did not use fireworks after that to determine if the campaign worked,” he said.

Malacañang welcomed initial reports by the DOH that this year’s New Year celebration was “generally peaceful” with a decline in firecracker-related injuries.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte attributed this to the government’s aggressive campaign against the use of dangerous firecrackers.

Valte expressed a similar sentiment, adding that despite this positive news, there will be no letup in the government’s drive against the use of firecrackers.

“While the New Year celebration was generally peaceful, we will continue the aggressive campaign for the reduction of fireworks-related injuries. Better to celebrate the New Year with hope than spending it in the hospital,” she said.

President Aquino supported the DOH’s annual campaign against firecrackers.

Metro Manila victims

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported that stray bullets and firecracker explosions injured 168 people during the past two weeks in Metro Manila.

NCRPO chief Director Alan Purisima said firecracker explosions injured 157 while stray bullets hit 11 people from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1.

Purisima said the casualty figure is much lower than that recorded for the same period last year.

The NCRPO also arrested 14 people involved in the sale of illegal firecrackers and nine others for indiscriminate firing of firearms.

“Majority of those arrested for indiscriminate firing of guns were policemen who would be subjected to summary dismissal proceedings,” said Purisima.

Superintendent Ferdinand del Rosario, Northern Police District spokesman, said a stray bullet hit two-year-old Kirby Orbillo in the head during the New Year’s Eve revelry in Malabon.

Orbillo, a resident of Letre Road in Barangay Tonsuya, was watching television inside their house at around 11:25 p.m. when he was hit by the bullet. The victim is now confined at the Malabon Community Hospital and was already declared out of danger.

Del Rosario said Jeffrey Miranda, 19, of Barangay 176 in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City, was also hit by a stray bullet in the left foot outside their house at around 12:20 a.m.

Another victim, Jay Roldan Lumabog, 31, of Barangay 178 in Camarin, Caloocan City, was hit by a stray bullet in the left foot.

Del Rosario said at least 34 firecracker victims were recorded in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela City during the New Year’s Eve revelry.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Francisco Manalo said 35 people were hurt by firecracker explosions during the New Year’s Eve revelry in his jurisdiction.

In Central Luzon, Chief Superintendent Edgar Ladao, regional police director, said 154 people were injured due to firecrackers and stray bullets.

Ladao said most of the firecracker victims were teenagers who suffered injuries on their fingers.

The report said Pampanga accounted for the biggest number of firecracker victims with 72; Tarlac had 41; Bulacan, nine; Bataan, eight; Angeles City, seven; Olongapo City, seven; Nueva Ecija, three; Aurora, three; and Olongapo City, two.

Dr. Policarpio Manuel, director of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital, said only 14 patients were treated for firecracker injuries, compared to 20 last year.

DOH officials in Bicol reported that firecracker explosions injured 32 people in the region.

In Cagayan Valley, 29 firecracker victims were reported and a stray bullet injured one resident.

Stray bullet hits pregnant woman

A 31-year-old pregnant woman survived after a stray bullet hit her during the New Year’s Eve revelry in Ilocos Norte.

Reports said the victim, Marcelina Ignacio, who is six months’ pregnant, was hit in the thigh by the stray bullet as she was relaxing in her porch.

Police said Ignacio was immediately rushed to the Laoag City General Hospital. The caliber .45 bullet exited through her thigh.

Stray bullets injured three residents in separate places in Ilocos Sur.

The victims were identified as Adrian Javier of Vigan City, Alvin Villegas of Bantay town, and Franklin Espejo of Sta. Catalina town.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo ordered paraffin and ballistics tests on policemen and their firearms reportedly used in indiscriminate firing during the revelry.

Robredo did not indicate the exact number of erring policemen but said he has their names, ranks and places of assignment based on the text messages sent to him from the field.

“We will subject to paraffin test some police officers who reportedly fired their guns during the New Year’s Eve revelry. We will reveal their names once we have determined they have violated the ban against indiscriminate firing,” he said.

He said the Crime Laboratory of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has the equipment and capability to determine which firearms discharged certain bullets.

On reports that there were 18 people who were victims of stray bullets, Robredo directed PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome to order his field investigators to gather the bullet slugs recovered from the victims and subject them to ballistics test to determine, if possible, from whose firearms these were fired.

Robredo said this year’s New Year revelry was generally peaceful and safer compared to the previous year’s celebration, with lesser number of fire incidents, firecracker injuries and victims of stray bullets.

Sales of fireworks drops

The Philippine Pyrotechnics Manufacturers and Dealers Association Inc. (PPMDAI) said sales of pyrotechnics products declined before New Year’s Eve compared to 2010 due to low production, economic difficulties brought by calamities, and the proliferation of smuggled products.

PPMDAI officials said the scare tactics of the DOH to prevent people from using firecrackers contributed to the low sales of fireworks.

Celso Cruz, president emeritus of the PPMDAI, said many people also bought imported fireworks, adding to the drop in sales of locally manufactured fireworks.

Vimmie Erese, incumbent president of PPMDAI, sent a letter to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) last Dec. 21 asking for the suspension of the product standard certification on pyrotechnics.

Erese’s letter cited three reasons why the DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards should stop the certification process.

One, the provisions for product certification do not conform to Republic Act 7183 or the firecracker law, Erese said.

The DTI inspection team did not conduct comprehensive testing on how the products were manufactured, and instead only relied on product performance to favor unscrupulous importers, Erese added.

Many traditional local manufacturers are not yet in a position to provide a Quality Management System Manual required for product certification, Erese said.

Tony Dinglasan, another member of PPMDAI, said the supply of fireworks was around 30 to 40 percent short.

Erese said the high cost of chemicals used in the manufacture of pyrotechnics products led some registered manufacturers to stop production.

Some stakeholders in the local pyrotechnics industry alleged that a syndicate composed of businessmen involved in smuggling pyrotechnics products has coerced some government officials to make life harder for small-time manufacturers.- With Non Alquitran, Pete, Laude, Dino Balabo, Charlie Lagasca, Raymund Catindig, Celso Amo, Eva Visperas, Cesar Ramirez, Teddy Molina