Firecracker injuries rise to 14

MANILA, Philippines — On Christmas Eve, the number of injuries related to firecrackers rose to 14 primarily caused by piccolo, a banned firecracker popular among children, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.

Based on Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction (APIR) report prepared by DOH-Epidemiology Bureau, nine more people were injured from firecracker blasts a day before Christmas, raising to 14 the total number of cases since the registry opened on Dec. 21.

The DOH said one of the cases was a 29-year-old man from Basista, Pangasinan whose hand was amputated after the explosion of a boga (improvised cannon), an illegal firework. He was brought to Region 1 Medical Center for treatment.

The agency added the ages of the 14 cases ranged from 11 months to 58 years and 12 of them were active users of firecrackers.

The data showed that piccolo, an imported but illegal firecracker, accounted for nine of the cases. This was followed by bawang, boga, luces and pop-pop.

This is despite the ban being imposed on the household use of firecrackers under Execuitive Order No. 28 signed by President Duterte this year.

Under the EO, the use of firecrackers shall be confined to community fireworks displays.

With still a week to go before the country celebrates New Year’s Eve, five people have been injured by exploding firecrackers in Bulacan since Thursday.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) of Bulacan reported the latest victim was an eight-year-old boy from Barangay Balaong in San Miguel town who was injured while playing with a boga on Saturday afternoon.

The boy suffered multiple bruises on his left eye, upper eyelid and left cheek. Earlier, three of the victims were injured by piccolo and another by a five-star.

On Thursday, an unidentified boy was injured by an exploding five-star in Guiguinto town; on Friday two unidentified victims were injured by an exploding piccolo and another one was also injured by piccolo on Saturday and was identified as Pocholo Panganiban, 10, of Barangay Santa Monica in Hagonoy town.

The injured victims included a 9-year-old boy and a 14-year-old teenager who were both hurt while playing with piccolo firecrackers last Sunday night in Barangay Bagumbayan, Naga City.

Meanwhile, Dr. Butch Rivera of the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital said six Christmas babies were born at the delivery room starting 12:57 a.m. up to 6:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.

He said Jemma Lopez of Pilar, Sorsogon was the first to deliver at 12:57 a.m. to a Christmas baby girl.

Lopez said she wants to name her sixth child Christine. - Ramon Efren Lazaro, Celso Amo