Lawmaker lists good, bad firecrackers for New Year

MANILA, Philippines – Valenzuela City Representative Sherwin Gatchalian urged police to crack down on illegal firecracker manufacturers a week before the New Year celebrations.

“It is best for the PNP (Philippine National Police) to conduct preemptive raids against illegal firecracker manufacturers so that their life-threatening products will not end up in the streets during the New Year’s eve revelry,” said Gatchalian

Gatchalian listed the good and bad firecrackers, based on earlier pronouncements by the PNP.

There are 7 illegal firecrackers that have proliferated in the country. They are known to have explosive content that are beyond what is allowed by Republic Act No. 7183, which guides the fireworks industry. The “bad” firecrackers are:

• Piccolo
• Pop Pop
• Goodbye Philippines or Crying Bading
• Yolanda or Goodbye Napoles
• Watusi
• Pla-pla
• Giant Kuwitis.

Gatchailian said these firecrackers, with the exception of watusi, have explosives content of over the allowed 0.2 grams.

The Department of Health recorded a total of 1,018 firework-related injuries in the first quarter of 2014, coinciding with the New Year 2014 celebrations. A fourth of the cases involved children playing with the banned Piccolo, said Gatchalian. 

Good firecrackers 

The lawmaker also listed firecrackers that may be used for the New Year celebrations. He said these are products of 68 manufacturers, 285 dealers, and 2,551 retailers of firecrackers that have licenses from the PNP Firearms and Explosive Office (FEO).

Among them are the following: 

• Baby Rocket
• Bawang
• El Diablo
• Judas Belt
• Paper Caps
• Pulling of strings
• Sky Rocket or kwitis
• Small “trianggulo”
• Pyrotechnic devices including Butterfly, Fountain, Jumbo Regular, Luces, Mabuhay, Roman Candle, Sparklers, Trompillo, whistle devices and Pailaw

Tougher regulations sought

Gatchalian filed House Bill No. 4434, or the Firecracker Regulation bill, to seek tougher regulations on fireworks products in the Philippines. 

It seeks among others to limit a single purchase of firecracker or pyrotechnic device to a maximum of P5,000 unless one secures a special permit from the PNP-FEO. It proposes a fine of P100,000 to P500,000 and imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years for violators.

It also wants to limit use of firecrackers to Filipinos 18 years old and above. Dealers who will sell fireworks to minors will be fined P100,000 and will lose their permits. Parents to tolerate their children will also be fined P10,000.

The bill also wants local government units to designate pyrotechnic zones in their own locality to avoid fire and injuries.

“These amendments do not entirely do away with time-honored merry-making but enforces to provide stricter regulations in an effort to protect our people,” he said. – Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler.com