Firecrackers: DOH-7 director warns risks of using them for New Year

Various kinds of firecrackers are displayed near the bay walk at the South Road Properties. Vendors here said that their business operations run from December 16 to 31, 2023. | CDN FILE PHOTO/Dave Cuizon

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The regional director of the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) has urged the public to follow the mandates of their LGUs on the use of firecrackers this coming New Year.

DOH-7 Director Jaime Bernadas said that he hoped people would avoid using firecrackers if possible.

Fortunately, he said, the local government units and its respective police personnel had monitored this matter to regulate the use of firecrackers.

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The local authorities here have also listed 28 firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices that are banned during the holiday season.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City government has also regulated the use and sale of firecrackers through an executive order issued by mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

“Hinaot nga dili ni sila makalusot sa mga tindahan. Kay kani laging maninda og mga ingon ana, mangita man gyud nag paagi nga makahalin. Unta kung walay mopalit, walay mamaligya,” Bernadas said.

(I hope that these could not reach the stores. Because these vendors, who sell these things, they often look for a sale. I hope that no one would buy, and then no one would sell.)

He added that firecrackers could pose danger to high-risk individuals like the elderly.

“Kani laging usahay mag apil-apil kay nadala sa rakya, moapil na ang mga tiguwang nga di na kaayo makaresponde. Kulang na og mga reflexes, prone nana siya sa injury sa mga pabuto,” he said.

(Sometimes, there are those who join in after they were encouraged to do them, old people would join eventhough their reflexes are no longer that good, and they are prone to injuries from firecrackers.)

Aside from the elderly, the young ones, who usually love to play, are also high-risk individuals, Bernadas said.

“Ang atong mga batan-on nga di pa kaila kung unsay libintador (a type of firecracker), usahay mopataka og pamunit kay nalingaw sa pabuto, unya pag punit diay nibuto sa iyang kamot, taas kaayo ang risgo sa mga bata,” he added.

(Our young children who still don’t know libintador (a type of firecracker), sometimes would just randomly pick something because they enjoyed firecrackers, and when they would pick it this would explode in his or her hand, the risk is really high for the children.

Moreover, Bernadas said that people should not forget to wash their hands after eating, especially when they would use barehands.

“Unya pagpabuto ninyo, nipilit sa inyong kamot, unya paglabay, nipilit sa kamot wala malagpot [ang firecracker],” he said.

(And when you use firecrackers, it will stick to your hand, and when you throw it, it will stick in your hand, you somehow failed to throw it.)

Bernadas hopes that the young ones will listen to their parents’ warnings to avoid getting into accidents during the celebration.

He added that the DOH already raised the Code White Alert for the Christmas and New Year’s celebration to ensure the readiness of the hospitals to respond to emergencies, especially during events with large gatherings.