Number of Filipinos hopeful for new year up

EDITORIALS

Majority of Filipinos welcomed the new year with high hopes according to the latest study by the Social Weather Station (SWS).

               Based on the survey, 92% of the respondents were hopeful for 2019.

               Meanwhile, 8% of Filipinos are facing 2019 with fear, according to the survey.

The result is lower by 4% from last year’s 96 per cent.

In a statement, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo thanked the Filipinos for being optimistic under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Panelo added that the survey is a proof that the negative criticisms do not affect the majority of the Filipinos.

“We thank our people for this universal feeling of optimism under the Duterte administration. This proves that the demolition job and the climate of negativity depicted by the President’s critics and detractors, better described as the noisy majority, have little or no impact to the silent but much greater majority,” Panelo said.

The survey was conducted among 1,440 adults from December 16 to 19, 2018.

They were asked: “Is it with hopes or with fears that you enter the coming year?” 

 

Firecracker injuries down 52% at 236 cases – DOH

The Dept. of Health noted significant decline in the number of firecracker-related injuries from Dec. 21, 2018 to Jan. 2, 2019.

This year’s tally, the DOH said, was 256, which is lower than the same period last year which was 492.

DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo noted, however, that there were still severe cases recorded this year.

Based on DOH’s record, Metro Manila tops the regions with the highest number of firecracker-related injuries, followed by Ilocos Region and Western Visayas.

Meanwhile, skyrockets or ‘kwitis’ tops the list of injury-causing firecrackers.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III previously emphasized the strict implementation of firecracker zones because most firecracker-related injuries happen in streets or at home.

Duque cited Davao City for its record of zero-casualty in welcoming the new year.

Duque noted that most of the victims were high in alcohol.

Some were hurt while smoking cigarettes that sparked the firecracker.

Aside from firecracker ban, the DOH also encouraged the public to do away from vices particularly drinking alcohol as these do no good.