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[av_heading heading=’10 injured in WV firecracker blasts’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 has so far recorded 10 persons injured in firecracker blasts.
Four of the victims were from Iloilo province and specifically from the municipalities of Cabatuan, Calinog, Balasan, and Bingawan, said Dr. May Ann Sta. Lucia, DOH-6’s coordinator for Violence and Injury Prevention Program.
“Most of the victims were young. One was six years old and there was a nine-year-old, too,” said Sta. Lucia.
DOH-6 started monitoring firecracker-related incidents on Dec. 21. It recorded one case each in Roxas City and Guimaras, and two cases each in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental (Talisay City and Cauayan town).
The first case was recorded on Dec. 23. The victim was from Guimaras.
Sta. Lucia described those injured as “active victims.” They lit the firecrackers and got injured in the process, she explained.
Firecrackers the victims lit were piccolo, boga and whistle bomb, she said.
Sta. Lucia expressed confidence that President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) 28 limiting the use of firecrackers would reduce the number of blast victims this year.
Duterte issued the EO on June 20 yet. It specifically confined the use of firecrackers to community fireworks display.
“(There) continues to be a substantial number of firecracker related injuries, even casualties, recorded every year, some involving bystanders,” part of the EO read.
Because of the firecracker related injuries and deaths, “the promulgation of stricter national standards, rules and regulations is warranted,” it stressed.
Under the EO, a community fireworks display must be “conducted under the supervision of a trained person duly licensed by the Philippine National Police.”
It should also be “allowed by the municipality/city concerned through a permit specifying the date and time of fireworks display and the specific area in which the display will be conducted, in conformity with national standards, rules and regulations.”
Sta. Lucia said DOH is supportive of community fireworks displays which it finds safer./PN
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