New Year revelry injuries rise to 933 - DOH

MANILA, Philippines - The number of firework-related injuries breached the 900 mark on Friday while the Department of Health (DOH) also recorded more victims of stray bullets.

Health Assistant Sec. Eric Tayag said in his Twitter account that there were 914 firework injuries, two firecracker ingestion and 17 stray bullet cases until 6 a.m. today.

Of the 914 injuries, 354 were caused by the illegal firecracker piccolo.

The number of stray bullet injuries has almost doubled since Thursday's count. The Philippine National Police has a higher figure of 28.

One of these victims was the three-month-old infant who was killed by a stray bullet in Ilocos Sur.

The DOH's count so far, which started on Dec. 21, 2013, is higher than the total number of firework-related injuries recorded in the same period in the previous New Year revelries.

Tayag said in 2012, there were 892 firework injuries, two firecracker ingestion and 25 stray bullet cases.

On Wednesday, the DOH admitted  that the number of injuries are increasing but are "milder" this year.

Fewer by-standers and children less than 10 years old were also affected.

In the agency's count on Wednesday, Metro Manila had the most number of injuries followed by the Calabarzon and Ilocos regions.

Malacañang on Thursday urged private and public stakeholders to meet immediately and agree on safe alternatives to fireworks.

"We can ill afford to wait for another New Year’s Day celebration marred by similar injuries or deaths. Hence, we call on all stakeholders to reach a common stand on safer alternatives for celebrating New Year’s Day through local ordinances or enactment or amendment of existing national laws," said Presidential Communications Operations Office Sec. Sonny Coloma.

The Palace official also admitted that there is a need for a stricter gun regulation in the country.