Fireworks industry suffers slump in sales

BOCAUE, Bulacan, Philippines – Three days before the New Year’s Eve revelry, several fireworks stalls in this town are suffering poor sales.

Stall owners told The STAR that in previous years, buyers of firecrackers and other pyrotechnics flocked to this town after Christmas, causing heavy traffic along F. Halili Avenue in Barangay Turo all the way to MacArthur Highway.

They said fireworks stores were forced to open 24 hours a day due to the large number of buyers.

But this year, they said only a handful have made their way to the country’s fireworks capital although they are anticipating a higher turnout of fireworks enthusiasts before Dec. 31.

The Philippine National Police and Bureau of Fire Protection are implementing a no-smoking policy within the vicinity of fireworks stores to prevent fires and firecracker-related injuries.

Liz Mungcal, executive officer of the provincial disaster risk reduction management office, said they have recorded six cases of firecracker injuries so far. The figure was lower than the 14 cases last year.

All injuries were caused by piccolo firecracker, Mungcal said. 

Two of the victims were from San Jose del Monte City, three from San Miguel and one from Bocaue.

In Dagupan City, eight persons were treated at the Region 1 Medical Center for firecracker-related injuries.

The victims were from the towns of Binmaley, Sta. Barbara, Mangatarem and Mangaldan and Dagupan City.

Authorities said a 10-year-old boy lost two of his fingers after collecting unexploded firecrackers.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that at least 81 people were injured by firecracker blasts since Dec. 16.

Firecrackers seized

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) confiscated several boxes of banned firecrackers in a raid in Divisoria, Manila Sunday night.

Members of the NCRPO regional police intelligence and operating unit headed by Chief Insp. Melchor Cantil raided the stalls located along Sto. Cristo and Ilaya streets.

NCRPO chief Director Joel Pagdilao earlier ordered an all-out war against vendors selling banned firecrackers to reduce the number of casualties and injuries during the New Year revelry.

Seized during the raid were 37 boxes of  piccolo, 6,500 rounds of Judas belt, five reams of pla-pla and 22 reams of five star.

DOH slammed

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian scored the DOH for making the campaign against the sale and use of firecrackers a contest among local government units by giving incentives to LGUs with zero firecracker-related injuries.

Gatchalian was reacting to the statement of Health Secretary Janette Garin that the DOH was looking at giving monetary rewards to LGUs with zero casualties during the New Year merrymaking.

“The DOH proposal is not the solution. The health department is just wasting its money. Strict regulation is the solution,” Gatchalian said in a statement. 

He pushed for the passage of House Bill No. 4434, to be known as the Firecracker Regulation Act of 2014, amid calls by the DOH to strictly enforce the law against the sale of piccolo.

“We need to amend the law to protect the children who are most vulnerable as they do not fully understand the dangers of firecrackers,” he said.

For its part, environment watchdog Ecowaste Coalition appealed to authorities to protect children from piccolo firecracker.

Ecowaste coordinator Aileen Lucero urged vendors to stop selling piccolo and other banned firecrackers to minors.

Climate change commissioner Heherson Alvarez called on the public to avoid the use of firecrackers to prevent injuries and reduce carbon emission, which contributes to global warming and climate change.  – With Non Alquitran, Eva Visperas, Paolo Romero, Rhodina Villanueva