The prices of firecrackers at the firecracker zone have increased hours before New Year’s eve. CDN Digital photo | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The new decade is coming and it has become a tradition for Filipino families to welcome the new year with a bang through firecrackers and pyrotechnics.
In the Cebu City firecracker zone at the South Road Properties (SRP), which will only be open until midnight of December 31, 2019, the prices of firecrackers have increased due to the low supply.
Ernie Pardilla, the representative of the vendors in the firecracker zone, said the supply has been low generally because President Rodrigo Duterte only announced that firecrackers may be sold in some areas in October 2019.
This meant that the production in suppliers in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu and Batangas only had two months to prepare for the firecracker season on Christmas and New Year.
Vendors in the firecracker zone said the suppliers sold their products at P5 to P20 higher compared to 2018. This prompted them to sell the firecrackers at a higher price than before.
“Medyo mas mahal gyod run kay gamay ra ang supply. Pero affordable raman gihapon. Expected ra gyod nga mahal siya karon nga tuig,” said Pardilla.
(The price is high because of low supply, but it is still affordable. It is expected that firecrackers are a bit expensive this year.)
In the new firecracker zone in Barangay Mambaling, last-minute shoppers have flocked to buy firecrackers 12 hours before the new year.
Marco (not his real name), a resident of Barangay Punta Princessa, said that New Year in his family is never complete without firecrackers.
He said his family doesn’t mind the slight increase in the price because the price always increases on New Year’s eve.
At least 11 hours before the New Year, here are the prices of the usual firecrackers at SRP:
16-shot fireworks – P2500
Multi-shots fireworks.
Roman Candle small to medium – P20 – P500
Roman Candle big – P600 – P1000
Firework stall at the firecracker zone in Cebu City.
Fountain small – P75
Fountain big – P6000
Fountain fireworks.
/bmjo