PIA Press Release
Sunday, January 08, 2012 M ayor lauds anti-firecracker campaignby Aileen Refuerzo BAGUIO CITY, Jan. 8 (PIA) -- Mayor Mauricio Domogan Monday lauded the significant reduction of firecracker-related injuries in the city this year as a result of the expanded prohibition on firecracker sale but maintained that a total ban on firecrackers is in order. Addressing the first flag-raising ceremonies at City Hall this year, the mayor said limiting the firecracker sale to mostly the aerial kinds was a good start for the city’s campaign for a safe holiday, but it was just not enough. “It was a good start but we still have a lot of homework to do. It’s about time to review our ordinance (regulating the sale of firecrackers) towards banning them totally,” the mayor reiterated. The mayor has been gunning for a total firecracker prohibition due to safety and health reasons since he reassumed as city mayor in 2010 when he first expressed his reservations to a city council resolution allowing the sale. “Hope that this will be the last time that the City approves the sale of pyrotechnic (devices) considering the so many disadvantages that even the Department of Health has stated and continues to say,” the mayor said in his marginal note when he signed Resolution No.276 series of 2010. Last year, the mayor expressed the same wishes for the city council to amend the ordinance in favor of a total ban but contented himself with a resolution that expanded the list of prohibited firecrackers to virtually allow only the aerial ones, saying he understood that the body did not have enough time to amend the measure. He nevertheless encouraged the public to as much as possible refrain from using firecrackers and to abide by the advisory of the DOH. “We all know the dangers of using firecrackers because of lack of quality control that pose risk to our lives and limbs, properties and even our environment so we urge our constituents to listen to the advice of the DOH. There are many ways of celebrating besides using fireworks so I hope that everyone will take heart,” he reiterated. The mayor said the city listed only ten cases of firecracker-related injuries this year as compared to last year’s 23. He said officially there were 12 cases recorded but the two patients where injured in Benguet and Pangasinan and were just treated in Baguio. He commended the health workers and the city police for their efforts of keeping the injuries to a minimum during the celebration. (PIA CAR/ AR-Baguio City PIO) | 
