Firecracker measures gather dust at Senate

MANILA, Philippines - Three bills regulating the use of firecrackers have been gathering dust at the Senate.

A check with the Legislative Bills and Index Service of the chamber showed that the measures authored by Senators Vicente Sotto III, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Nancy Binay remain pending at the committee level.

The bills had been referred separately to the Senate committees on public order and dangerous drugs and local government chaired by Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., respectively.

Sotto filed Senate Bill 2081 or the proposed Firecracker Ban Act of 2014 on Jan. 22 last year. Santiago and Binay filed their respective measures in 2013.

Sotto wants a total ban on firecracker use amid senseless deaths and injuries due to firecracker-related mishaps.

Under the bill, the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices may only be allowed in designated areas and authorized by the head of the local government unit, and shall be done only by professionals with skills and knowledge on the use of firecrackers.

Violators face penalties ranging from P10,000 to P50,000 or six months to one year imprisonment, or both, at the discretion of the court.

Senate Bill 1876 authored by Santiago seeks to ban the use of firecrackers in residential areas.

For the purposes of national and local holiday celebration, Santiago’s bill mandates the head of the local government to designate a common firecracker area.

Binay had filed Senate Bill 225 penalizing individuals selling fireworks or firecrackers to children aged 15 and below.