Mayor pushes ‘cracker total ban on New Year ‘

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan wants the implementation of a total ban on the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics during the New Year revelry to celebrate the coming of another year in order to prevent innocent individuals from being unreasonably injured that would even lead to loss of lives and damage to property.

“There are many ways to celebrate the coming of the new year instead of exploding firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials that could even lead to very dangerous situations,” Domogan stressed, adding the city council must now have the political will in adopting an ordinance banning the use of firecrackers in the city in order to seal the long standing problem on the use of firecrackers to celebrate the coming of a new year.

However, he admitted the enforcement of a total ban on the use of firecrackers could be futile since hard headed individuals will still find ways in buying firecrackers outside the city and use it to celebrate the coming of a new year in their places, thus, stringent measures must be put in place to make sure the total ban will be effectively and efficiently implemented.

Earlier, dozens of firecracker and pyrotechnic vendors intending to again sell the combustible materials during the Yuletide season trooped to the city hall to lobby from local officials that they be allowed to pursue their trade with the condition that the firecrackers to be sold will be the aerial ones.

“We will await the latest advisory to be issued by the health department relative to the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics during the New Year revelry. Our decision whether or not to ban the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics will depend on the rules and regulations to be issued by the appropriate agency,” he claimed.

According to him, people must already learn from the experiences of those who died or were injured while using firecrackers and pyrotechnics to celebrate the coming of the New Year.

“We must be willing to sacrifice our traditional way of celebrating the coming of a new year. Let us find more other entertaining ways to celebrate the Yuletide season and not through the use of firecrackers,” Domogan said.

While there is a constant reduction of individuals injured during the New Year revelry through the exploding of firecrackers, the local chief executive claimed it is high time the city government will have a definite stand on whether or not to ban the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics during the New Year revelry so that further injuries will be prevented. -- Dexter A. See