Parents urged: Help campaign vs firecrackers

CEBU, Philippines - A police official has asked parents to discourage their children from using firecrackers in order to prevent injuries during the New Year.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador, who supports the banning of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices, said that parents should be the ones to start discouraging their children from using firecrackers.

Comendador added that firecrackers vendors will also depend on the volume of consumers.

“Kung naa ang demand, naa ang supply pero huna-hunaon nga lisod ning mabiktima ta sa pabuto, (If there is a demand, they would also supply but we should also remember how hard it would be if we become victims of firecracker incidents),” he said.

 During the ceremonial destruction of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices yesterday morning at the CPPO grounds, assorted firecrackers worth P50,000 were burned and destroyed.

The event highlighted the commitment, dedication, and effort of the police to phase out the use of firecrackers during the Yuletide season.

“Magsilbi ni nga hagit nga (This will serve as a challenge that…) at the end of the Yuletide season, lesser people are victimized by firecrackers,” Comendador said.

Recently, the Provincial Intelligence Branch seized assorted firecrackers worth P30,000 in the towns of Consolacion and Liloan as well as in the cities of Carcar and Toledo in separate operations.

A 13-year-old victim of firecracker blast from Talisay City, who attended the event, was injured after a whistlebomb exploded in his right hand.

The boy said he lighted a whistlebomb but it did not explode, which prompted him to pick it up and it suddenly exploded.

“Nabuthan akong kamot kay gipunit man nako ang pabuto abi nako napawong na unya wala man diay. (It exploded in my hand because I picked it up thinking that it was already put out but it suddenly exploded),” the boy said.

 According to Henry Calledo, Chief of Hospital I in the Cebu province, that infected minor wounds caused by firecrackers are healed about two weeks.

It should also be cleaned everyday with iodine and alcohol to kill bacteria.  (FREEMAN)