Philippines: Merry-making related injuries expected to be lower this year

Authorities expect a drop in pyrotechnics-related injuries this year; so far hospitals have reported a lower number of injured merrymakers.

Filipinos engage in celebratory firecracker popping as part of tradition, however, because of the government’s intensified drive to discourage such reckless behaviour, there were fewer injuries reported during Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day.

Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial of the Department of Health (DOH) said 23 people were hurt from accidents and reckless handling of firecracker and fireworks as of 6am.

Other than the use of firecrackers, some Filipinos mark the Christmas holidays and changeover to the New Year with celebratory gunfire.

Last year, the DOH recorded 932 cases of injuries nationwide, from December 21, 2015, to January 5, 2016. Of the 932 reported injuries last year, 920 or 98.7 per cent were due to fireworks, 10 or 1.1 per cent from wayward bullets, while 2 or 0.2 per cent were caused by firecracker ingestion

The leading cause of injuries, according to the DOH, was the “Picollo”, a firecracker that is lit like a matchstick. Most, if not all, of the victims of this particular item are children.

Health officials said they expect a lower number of victims as a result of an intensified drive by the government to discourage the use of firecrackers.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered a ban on the use and sale of firecrackers due to the number of injuries recorded each year. In Davao City, where he served as mayor, there was minimal toll of people hurt as a result of strict implementation of the ban.

Rodrigo planned to replicate the restriction an implement it for the whole Philippines,

however, he was forced to defer the implementation following an appeal from manufacturers and retailers. Most of the makers of this type of commodity operate in Bulacan in Central Luzon. Officials said the restriction would instead be imposed next year to give time to the people employed in the industry to transition to another kind of livelihood.

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno urged the public to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays without the use firecrackers to prevent injuries and accidents.

“I believe there is no better way to celebrate this Holiday Season than to be in the company of our loved ones enjoying the happy, safe and peaceful comfort of our individual homes. Therefore, I enjoin everyone to try to welcome the festivity with utmost care by going back to our old way of making noise,” he said.

Sueno said that Christmas is not only a season of giving but also a time to rekindle the dwindling Filipino tradition and culture that has taken a back seat.

“Filipinos create noise to welcome the New Year and at the same time drive away the negativity. But we will not be able to do this if at the start of the year if a member of the family will have to be rushed to the hospital for immediate medical attention due to [a] firecracker accident,” he said

source : gulfnews