Officials caution against illegal firecrackers

Local officials have issued public appeals against welcoming the new year with illegal fireworks as firecracker-related injuries continued to rise ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. threatened businesses selling illegal firecrackers with arrest.

Officials and personnel from the city government’s Business Permit and Licensing Office are now monitoring establishments selling fireworks.

"We will apply the full force of the law against those who will sell illegally made fireworks," he said. "We will allow the use of legal fireworks and we advise residents to observe safety measures."

Quezon City Police District chief Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula said they have intensified their campaign on illegal firecrackers.

In Manila, city health office head Jose Baranda also reiterated a similar appeal to parents, urging them to discourage their children from playing with illegal or high-powered firecrackers, particularly today’s recent craze known as "Boga," an improvised cannon made from PVC pipes.

"While it is not illegal, we are strongly discouraging the use of Boga because of the reported increase in the number of injuries," according to Dr. Virgilio Martin.

He said the city health department has recorded 24 cases of firecracker-related injuries from Dec. 1 to 26. Almost all of the victims were children, mostly age eight. One was a two-year-old toddler.

There were three reports of watusi (dancing firecracker) poisoning, 13 firecracker blast injuries, and eight cases involving PVC Bogas.

Martin said this was the first time that they have recorded injuries inflicted by PVC Bogas, which resemble bazooka rocket launchers and use denatured alcohol for fuel.

"We have a high case of PVC Bogas because they are cheap and the materials needed are easily accessible, you only need denatured alcohol. Most of its victims are children because they were curious," Martin said.

Many have been injured because children would peep into the cannon if it failed to fire, only to get blasted in the face.

Martin warned that the cannon blast could result in eye infections that could eventually lead to blindness if left untreated.

To discourage firecracker use during the New Year celebrations, the Manila city government has planned a fireworks show along Baywalk that will illuminate the sky for at least 10 minutes.

Fireworks, costing at least P1.5 million, will be fired from three barges anchored in Manila Bay.

The city government has promised to "wow" the estimated one million crowd that are expected to troop to the show Sunday evening.

"Last year, we only utilized one barge but now we hired three barges so the density of the firepower is times three. We have been preparing for this event since November and we hired foreign pyrotechnic experts to do the job," said Manila city administrator Gaudencio Nable.

The fireworks would be seen as far as Tondo and San Andres Bukid in Manila and could even be viewed from skyscrapers in Makati City.

"Every year, the Baywalk is packed from one end to the other end with people. The southbound of Roxas Boulevard is also filled with people and some even bring sleeping bags," Nable said. — With Evelyn Macairan