Firecracker vendors display their products at the back of Sugbu building in South Road Properties. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello is pushing for the ban on firecrackers but not on pyrotechnics.
Bello, who met with Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale yesterday, said he appealed to Health secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial on her proposal for a nationwide ban on firecrackers and fireworks during their Cabinet meeting.
Bello said that the move would affect around 150,000 workers.
Bello said that in light of the Cabinet meeting with Ubial, the Health secretary would probably come up with an implementing rules by next year, prohibiting the manufacture of firecrackers only.
On November of last year, Bello issued an order stopping all work in establishments manufacturing and selling pyrotechnics and firecrackers nationwide, prompted by the explosions in firecracker manufacturing sites in Bulacan that left at least five people dead and several others injured.
Bello eventually ordered all DOLE regional directors to check on the establishments’ compliance with work safety standards.
Bello was in the city Tuesday for a courtesy call with the provincial government of Cebu, represented by Magpale.
According to Bello, the courtesy call is meant to inform the province that the Office of the President has allocated P100 million in assistance to the three districts in the province, specifically districts 3, 4, and 5, which had been battered by Super Typhoon Yolanda three years ago.