Elderly urged to keep kids away from firecrackers

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday urged the elderly to keep children away from firecrackers as it launched its anti-firecracker campaign “APIR (Aksyon Paputok Injury Reduction): Iwas Paputok.”

“This year’s campaign will focus on children aged 6 to 10 years old, as statistics show that this age group is usually the most affected,” said Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

According to DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag, half of the 1,021 revelry-related injuries from Dec. 21, 2011 to Jan. 5, 2012 involved children.

Of the total figure, 972 were due to fireworks and firecrackers, 39 were due to stray bullets, and 11 were due to firecracker ingestion.

Records showed that in the 2012 New Year revelry, there were four deaths – three of them due to fireworks while one was due to a stray bullet. 

Metro Manila accounted for 612 of the 1,021 cases, followed by Calabarzon (80), Ilocos Region (75) and Central Luzon (69).

Majority of the injuries among children were caused by piccolo, an imported firecracker that is banned under Republic Act 7183 or the Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and Other Pyrotechnic Devices of 1992.

Piccolo is ignited like a match, giving the people the false impression that it is safe.

“If you take out the children from those injured from firecrackers last year, there would have been only around 500 injuries. It will really be a big help if children will be stopped from playing with or using firecrackers,” Tayag said.