Kagawad loses finger to pla-pla

MANILA, Philippines - Thirty revelers were injured by firecracker blasts, including a 51-year-old councilman from Manila who lost his left index finger after lighting a pla-pla, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

In a report prepared by its National Epidemiology Center, the DOH noted the man had ignited a pla-pla, a big triangle-shaped firecracker that exploded in his hand.

The victim was identified as kagawad Armando Cabiling of Barangay 33 Zone 3, Tondo, Manila.

Piccolo still accounted for most of the cases at 21, followed by five star, luces and boga, an improvised cannon made out of PVC pipes.

Designed primarily for children, piccolo is banned but it has been the leading cause of firecracker injuries for the past few years.

Like a matchstick, piccolo is ignited by scratching it against a hard object.

Records showed the ages of the injured ranged from four to 52 but 10 of them were below 10 years old. Twenty-six cases were active users of firecrackers.

The DOH added that three sustained eye injures.

Eleven of the cases came from Metro Manila, with Pasig accounting for four.

The agency had reiterated its call for the public to resort to other noisemaking devices in ushering in the New Year.

The surveillance started last Dec. 21, covering 50 sentinel hospitals across the country.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said among the injured were four victims of firecracker blasts rushed to hospitals in Metro Manila on Christmas eve.

DOH records also include five persons injured in Bicol.

Elvie Sarmiento, head of the DOH monitoring team, said the Bicol Medical Center, Naga City Hospital and Camarines Norte provincial hospital reported admitting one firecracker explosion victim each, while the Josefina Belmonte District Hospital in Ligao City reported two children aged 11 to 12 years old from Guinobatan town who both injured in their right hand.

?gOur Iwas Paputok program is gaining traction because last year 25 persons were reported injured by firecrackers in Bicol,?h said Sarmiento.

Firecracker injury monitoring will end on Jan. 5, 2015.

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian has pushed for tougher rules on fireworks and pyrotechnic products sold nationwide to help ensure a safe environment for Filipinos, especially children who are most vulnerable to firecracker-related injuries.

Gatchalian filed House Bill 4434 that seeks to amend Republic Act 7183, otherwise known as An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and other Pyrotechnic Devices.

?gEvery year, we endure from the pollutants caused by the use of firecrackers to welcome the New Year, we see news flashes of countless injuries, especially to the hapless children. Until when should we allow this cycle of perils to our health and environment??h Gatchalian said in his bill’s explanatory note.

The proposed Firecracker Regulation Act of 2014 highlighted the need for the government to regulate fireworks that are considered hazards to public safety.

He said he wants local government units to designate pyrotechnic zones in their locality to avoid fire and injuries.

Meanwhile, Sto. Tomas in Pangasinan had maintained its status as the most peaceful area in the province with the strict implementation of the firecrackers ban during Christmas Eve and the New Year?fs Eve revelry.

Mayor Timoteo Villar III told The STAR yesterday that the town is again implementing the ban, which was first imposed last year.

He said this has become a yearly observance since it was effective in achieving zero casualty/injury caused by firecrackers in observing Christmas and in greeting the New Year.

?gBy God?fs grace, we successfully achieved our goal and everyone in our town heeded our call,?h he added.

Sto Tomas, the smallest town in Pangasinan, has earned the distinction as the most peaceful place in the province with a very low crime rate. With Non Alquitran, Paolo Romero, Celso Amo, Eva Visperas