MANILA, Philippines – We are few hours away from celebrating the New Year’s eve, and just like the 4th of July in the US, Filipinos go all out with the noise on New Year’s eve. Firecrackers or "paputok," as Pinoys call them, have been a symbol of myriad celebrations. Moreover, it is believed that the noise that the "paputoks" make can keep away bad spirits and bad luck.
The Department of Health has been warning the Filipinos of the dangers of these firecrackers. But still, as of this writing, more than a hundred have been injured because of the usage of these dangerous and toxic firecrackers.
Unless you want to go through the whole year without fingers, here are some creative and much safer ways to celebrate New Year’s eve.