The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Philippine National Police (PNP) promised on Tuesday to bolster the government’s “Iwas Paputok” campaign by going after the illegal manufacture and sale of prohibited firecrackers.

PNP chief Nicanor Bartolome said they will be firm in inforcing the law against dangerous firecrackers and indiscriminate firing of firearms.

“It is high time that reckless merry-makers ought to learn their lessons not to disregard government warning and safety reminders,” he said.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said those who will be violating Republic Act no. 7183 or An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and Other Pyrotechnic Devices will face penalties ranging from a fine of not less than P20,000 or imprisonment of not less than six months.

Under the said law, the only firecrackers allowed are: baby racket, bawang, small triangulo, firecrackers used by pulling strings, paper caps, el Diablo, watusi, judah’s belt, sky rocket (kwitis) and others equivalent to the content of the said common firecrackers. At the same time, the following pyrotechnic devices are also allowed: sparklers, luces, fountain, jumbo regular or special, mabuhay sparklers, roman candle, trompillo, airwolf, whistle device, butterfly and other “pailaw” devices.

Meanwhile, among the prohibited firecrackers monitored by the PNP are big triangle, super lolo, mother rocket, five star, og, pla-pla, Goodbye Earth, atomic bomb, pillbox and other dangerous firecrackers, especially those without labels.

As of yesterday, there had been 61 firecracker-related injuries tallied by the Department of Health.

On Monday, a six-year old boy named John Ezekiel Silva died as he and his father were transporting P30,000 worth of firecrackers from Bulacan to Nueva Ecija.

His father Noli parked their tricycle by the roadside when the explosion happened. Police say the explosion might have been caused by the firecrackers igniting because of the hot exhaust pipe of the tricycle.

It was also in Bulacan that same day that a man lost his left foot after a high-powered firecracker called “Goodbye Philippines” exploded near him.

The accident happened the same day President Benigno Aquino III told the Filipino public to refrain from using firecrackers.

“Napakarami po kasing nalalagay sa panganib dahil sa paputok. Umabot po sa 1,022 ang nadisgrasya noong nakaraang taon. Karamihan po rito ay dahil sa paggamit ng paputok; at ilan din ang napinsala ng ligaw na bala at pagkalason,” he said.

He added that it is also a cause of air pollution.

Instead, the President suggested that people make noise through other means.

“Hindi po ba’t mas mabuting salubungin ang taon nang Goodbye Kapahamakan, at Hello Pagbabago?,” he said in response to new firecrackers named “Goodbye Philippines” and “Goodbye Universe.”