PIA Press Release
Thursday, January 05, 2012 3 of 4 firecracker victims in Mt. Province are childrenby Andrew Doga-ongBONTOC, MT. Province, Jan. 5 (PIA) -- Noting that three of the four firecrackers victims in the province are children, the Provincial Heath Office here will push parents to be stricter in disallowing their children from holding or playing with firecrackers during the Christmas season and New Year revelries. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Nenita Lizardo said there could be something wrong with the attitude of some people that despite the aggressive campaign of the Department of Health and other sectors against the use of dangerous firecrackers through the’ “Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction” program, they still insist on using firecrackers in their revelries. At least four persons including three children in the province were among the nearly 1000 people nationwide who suffered firecracker-related injuries during the holiday season revelries this year. Surveillance report of the PHO here showed that the four firecracker-related victims were injured while holding or playing with the dangerous firecrackers. The three injured children were identified as Shawn Iris Sibayan, 7 years old from Agawa, Besao; Euro Arellano Yagyaken, 8, of Tocucan, Bontoc, Rhayne Hazzen Marero of sitio Dantay, Alab, Bontoc. The fourth one was Vincent de Guzman, 19, of Paracelis. All the victims sustained injuries and burns and were rushed to nearby hospitals i their municipalities for treatment. Last year, Mountain Province recorded only one case of firecracker related injury. Lizardo wondered where these children bought or got the firecrackers as local officials and law enforcers had been strictly implementing town ordinances banning the sale of firecrackers, particularly in the capital town. (AD- PIA CAR, Mt. Province) | 
