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[av_heading heading=’7 PUBLIC PLAZAS ‘CRACKER ZONES ‘ 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 CAROLYN JANE ABELLO
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ILOILO City – Residents can welcome the New Year with a bang but only in the public plazas of seven districts. They are prohibited from lighting firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices in their residences.
In Executive Order (EO) 153, series of 2017 issued yesterday, Mayor Jose Espinosa III declared the following as firecracker zones where people can light firecrackers and pyrotechnics: Plaza Libertad (City Proper), La Paz Plaza, Lapuz Plaza, Jaro Plaza, Molo Plaza, Arevalo Plaza, and Mandurriao Plaza.
The EO is effective for two days only – Dec. 31, 2017 (New Year’s Eve) and Jan. 1, 2018 (New Year’s Day).
Residents, however, must use only firecrackers allowed by authorities. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) identified these as baby rocket, bawang, small triangle, pulling of strings, paper caps, el diablo, and sky rocket (kwitis), sparklers, luces, fountains, jumbo regular and special, mabuhay, Roman candle, trompillo, airwolf, whistle device, and butterfly.
The following firecrackers are prohibited: piccolo or “scratch bangers,” pop pop, Goodbye Philippines or crying bading, Yolanda or Goodbye Napoles, pla-pla, giant kuwitis, watusi or dancing firecrackers,” super lolo, atomic big trianggulo, mother rockets, lolo thunder, pillbox, boga, big Judah’s belt, big bawang, kwiton, Bin Laden, kabasi, atomic bomb, five star, og, and giant whistle bombs.
All firecrackers with gunpowder exceeding two grams or 1.3 teaspoons are also banned.
Last week, Espinosa issued an EO designating two areas only where firecrackers should be sold – on the corner of Circumferential Road 1 and Jocson Street, Arevalo district and the corner of Circumferential Road 1 and Iloilo East Coast-Capiz highway in the vicinity of Ondoy’s Sugbahan in Barangay Buhang, Jaro district.
Citing firecracker-related injuries and deaths in past New Year celebrations, Espinosa stressed the need to regulate the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices this year.
“In a meeting with the police and fire service, we decided that all public plazas will be firecracker zones since there were already Executive Orders issued by the national government to this effect. We want to harmonize them with our own rules and regulations,” Espinosa said yesterday.
Iloilo City fire marshal Chief Inspector Bartolome Biliran said community fireworks display should be 100 meters away from the nearest residential units.
“If we allow residents to light firecrackers within less than the required meters, there will be violations. I do not want any violations of the law that is why we decided to have it in public plazas since these are wide and open spaces,” said Espinosa.
He also directed the Bureau of Fire Protection to post fire trucks and personnel in the plazas to monitor people.
In June 20 this year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed EO 28 limiting the use of firecrackers in the country. It specifically confined the use of firecrackers to community fireworks display.
“(There) continues to be a substantial number of firecracker-related injuries, even casualties, every year, some involving bystanders,” part of the EO read.
Due to firecracker-related injuries and deaths, “the promulgation of stricter national standards, rules and regulations is warranted,” it stressed.
According to 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.” (With a report from Merianne Grace Ereñeta, Iloilo City PIO)/PN
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