Fireworks industry appeals proposed nationwide ban on firecrackers

BOCAUE, Bulacan, Philippines — Legitimate fireworks industry stakeholders are appealing to Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos not to implement the proposed nationwide ban on firecrackers.

The appeals were made after Abalos proposed to local government units (LGUs) to impose the ban.

Philippine Fireworks Association president Jovenson Ong told The STAR in a text message that they are humbly requesting the Department of the Interior and Local Government chief “not to impose a ban.”

“Whenever there’s a ban, all legal manufacturers will close and follow the ban, but the real culprit in all these accidents and injuries are the illegal ones,” Ong said.

He added that once the ban is implemented, illegal fireworks stakeholders would not close shop and actually earn a lot more after legitimate ones comply with the ban.

“Let’s not reward the illegal manufacturers by having a ban. Instead, the government should put more effort in regulating existing laws. To clamp down on these illegal manufacturers who either don’t have licenses or PS MARKs on their products, we should stop them once and for all from getting their hands on regulated chemicals,” Ong said in appealing to Abalos.

PS MARKs refer to the Philippine Standard Quality and/or Safety Mark and Import Commodity Clearance sticker.

Ong suggested that “the DTI-BPS should close all the non-PS MARKed manufacturers who year in and year out don’t want to apply for PS MARK licenses.”

He also noted that smuggled fireworks from China and online sale of illegal fireworks and regulated chemicals all compete with legally manufactured fireworks that they have been regularly complaining against yet these still continue to operate.

Meanwhile, Philippine Pyrotechnics Manufacturers and Dealers Association Inc. president Lea Alapide explained to The STAR that Republic Act 7183 or the law regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices was created in 1992 and 31 years later, its provisions are still not yet properly implemented.