MANILA, Jan. 1 (PNA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) is calling on lawmakers to amend Republic Act 7183 otherwise known as an Act regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.

In a briefing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the move is aimed at arresting injuries and deaths caused by firecrackers.

He said they are pushing actively for the amendment of the law because a "total ban in the residential use of fireworks is to prevent first and foremost the loss of lives and limbs of our people."

"Lawmakers hopefully consider amending the law in the use of residential fireworks," he said.

Among their proposal are the removal from the list of registered fireworks certain types of firecrackers, regulation of the quality of the fireworks, improving and ensuring the safe working conditions of all pyrotechnic industry employees.

"This is one topic we would like to focus on in the next two weeks as we go back on the planning board," he said.

Duque said RA 7183 should be amended because even the firecrackers allowed by the government to be sold to the public are not safe.