DOH Eastern Visayas notes 30% rise in firecracker-related injuries

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 6 (PNA) –Injuries from holiday revelry in Eastern Visayas posted a 30 percent increase this year as more people were hurt by igniting firecrackers and fireworks allowed by law.

Roderick Boyd Cerro, chief of the Department of Health (DOH) regional epidemiology and surveillance unit said number of cases has risen from 70 last year to 101 as of midnight of January 5.

Fingers of two children in this city were amputated. The two victims ignited lolo thunder and kwitis.

Unlike last year, there was no single victim of stray bullet. Most cases are minor blasts while some suffered eye injury.

Majority or 70 percent of cases were injured due to piccolo ignited by children below 11 years old. The youngest victims is one year old while the oldest is 62.

“Our concern was that more number of victims were injured by firecrackers and fireworks not banned by the government. It’s time to really check the quality of these products even if these are legal,” he said.

Of the 101 injuries, 37 were reported in Northern Samar, 26 in Eastern Samar, 25 in Leyte, 10 in Samar, and two in Biliran province.

“We believe that there were more victims in Northern Samar because power outages and other impacts of typhoon Nona disrupted our Iwas Paputok information drive. Disaster response has been the top priority,” Cerro said.

The government has launched its monitoring of Christmas and New Year revelries on December 16, 2015 and concluded on January 5, 2016. (PNA)
FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Eastern Visayas’ firecracker-related injuries climb to 79

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 2 (PNA) - Holiday revelries have injured at least 79 persons in Eastern Visayas as of Saturday, slightly higher than last year which made the anti-firecracker drive successful, according to the Department of Health (DOH)

Roderick Boyd Cerro, chief of the DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, said all cases are minor blasts and there was no single victim of stray bullet.

Majority or 80 percent of cases were injured due to "piccolo" ignited by children below 11 years old.

“We still consider the 'Iwas Paputok' campaign successful since injuries this year were less serious than in the previous years,” he said.

Of the 79 injuries, 37 were reported in Northern Samar, 24 in Eastern Samar, 12 in Leyte, five in Samar, and one in Leyte.

The government has launched its monitoring of Christmas and New Year revelries on December 16, 2014 and will conclude on January 5, 2015. (PNA)
JBP/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Party horn vendors drives firecracker traders away in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 31 (PNA) – There are more party horn vendors than firecracker traders in this city this year, which is good to the campaign of Department of Health to reduce if not achieve a zero firecracker injury, a city official said.

But even with the decline in firecrackers trade, personnel from the city police office and city fire department assured that they will make rounds in the city on New Year’s Eve, said Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin, the city’s acting mayor.

Yaokasin added that in his meeting with police and fire officials, they agreed to pass an ordinance that will establish a common firecracker vending area.

“You can see that firecracker vendors selling in the streets of the city displays their products on stalls made from light materials and they are close with each other. This is hazardous,” Yaokasin said.

In an ordinance, which they will be craft, firecracker vendors will be allowed to sell their commodities in open spaces like in Rizal Park and the City Engineers Gym.

“This is worth looking into that, allowing them to sell firecrackers in a specific place with a permit from the city. We need to really regulate selling of firecrackers because most of fire accidents and injuries during Yuletide season are caused by firecrackers,” he added.

Yaokasin is glad to see that most sidewalk vendors are selling party horns instead of firecrackers. Horns is being sold at Php35 to as much as Php75 each, depending on sizes.

Party horn vendor Lourdes Opana recalled that she used to sell firecrackers, but after the health department intensified their campaign against the use of firecracker during New Year’s celebration, she decided to change his product.

Her family makes the party horn for wholesale trading. Although Opana also sells some less dangerous firecrackers, she noted that most of her buyers opt to buy party horns. (PNA)
RMA/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA

Region 8 police burns seized firecrackers

PALO, Leyte, Dec. 28 (PNA) -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Visayas has burned on Monday the confiscated illegal firecrackers from various police field offices worth more than PHP209,000.

Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Cedrick Train led the disposal at the grandstand of police regional office in this town.

The burning of confiscated firecracker is in line with national government’s campaign to achieve zero firecracker related injuries in the country in relation to Christmas and New Year’s revelries.

Train said that the firecrackers had been confiscated through a search warrant served by Task Force “Paputok.” One of those with search warrant is businessman Frederick Fernandez Dy of Calbiga, Samar.

Among the firecrackers disposed were lolo thunder, super lolo, five star, sawa rambo special, plapla and piccolo.

“We don’t want anyone to get hurt while we celebrate a very happy occasion. We are appealing to the public, especially to children to avoid using firecrackers,” said Train.

He also directed all police units to operate against vendors of illegal firecrackers or fireworks and assured that they will work hand-in-hand with other government agencies to achieve their goal of zero-firecracker related injuries.

Operation against illegal firecracker vendors will go on until January 3, according to Train.

He also urged civilian gun owners to be responsible this Yuletide celebration by not using their gun to avoid accidents and loss of lives.

The police, army and other law enforcers in the region has conducted gun muzzle taping, in line with the efforts against illegal discharge of firearms this holiday season. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA

Holiday revelries hurt six kids in typhoon-hit Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 26 (PNA) -- Christmas revelry has wounded six children in typhoon-hit Northern Samar, the only province in Eastern Visayas with reported firecracker-related injuries as of Saturday morning.

“We don’t know why all reported injuries are in Northern Samar. Our appeal to all victims is to immediately seek medical attention because firecracker injury victims are very prone to tetanus infection,” said Roderick Boyd Cerro, chief of the Department of Health regional epidemiology and surveillance unit.

Five of the six victims suffered blast injury after igniting piccolo.

A lone victim sustained an eye injury after using lantaka (bamboo cannon), a popular alternative to firecrackers.

Young victims are from the towns of Pambujan, Lope de Vega, Mondragon, Catarman and Laoang, all in Northern Samar, which was battered by typhoon "Nona" on Dec. 14.

The government has launched its monitoring of Christmas and New Year revelries on Dec. 16, 2015 and will conclude on Jan. 5, 2016.

Operation centers have been activated in different provinces to monitor firecracker-related injuries.

The DOH encouraged the public to stop exploding firecrackers, but instead use other noisemakers such as party horns, car horns and loud music to celebrate the holidays. (PNA)

LDV/SQM

Catbalogan City cites setbacks to achieve zero firecracker-related injuries

CATBALOGAN CITY, Dec. 26 (PNA) - The city government here has cited challenges in achieving zero firecracker-related injuries highly recommended by the Department of Health (DOH).

City Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan said using firecrackers during Christmas and New Year festivities has become part of the country’s tradition.

“For the safety of the public we want to achieve zero-firecracker related injuries. The question now is how we can gradually ban this,” said Mayor Uy-Tan.

Although the city government always designate common firecracker areas, the local government has no capability to fully regulate firecrackers use.

Catbalogan allows selling firecrackers, but vendors must first comply all the requirements, including undergoing seminar for those who are planning to sell.

The mayor asked for the people in her city to avoid using illegal firecrackers and enjoy the happy and safe celebration with their families and love ones.

A week before Christmas, DOH Secretary Janette Garin announced the plan of her agency to give incentives to local government units with no firecracker related injuries this holiday season. (PNA)
RMA/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

DOH Eastern Visayas revives campaign vs. firecrackers use

PALO, Leyte, Dec. 4 (PNA) – The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas is stepping up its campaign to prevent firecracker related injuries during Christmas and New Year revelries.

DOH Regional Director Minerva P. Molon said they are bringing the “Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction” campaign to schools since most victims are school children.

“We will advocate in schools that children won’t buy firecrackers. It’s easy to educate children through classes,” Molon told reporters.

From December 2014 to early January 2015, the region recorded 70 firecracker-related injuries with most victims are children.

Although the campaign is to bring down the number of cases to zero, the DOH regional office is also beefing up their preparations to treat victims.

At least 50,000 anti-tetanus and antibiotics have been preposition for use during emergencies. The health department also conducts inventory of current stocks of medicines needed this month.

“We will coordinate with other government agencies to respond to emergencies. We are on code white alert this month, which means that all health workers are on call,” Molon added.

The DOH reminded the public that use of firecrackers is dangerous, firecrackers are hazardous to children, avoid people who are using firecrackers, not to pick up and use busted firecrackers, and go to nearest hospital in case of accidents.

Among the direct negative health effects of misuse of fireworks and firecrackers are blast or burns with or without amputation, eye injury that might lead to blindness, tetanus, poisoning, and death.

The health department encouraged the public to use alternative and safer means to celebrate Christmas and New Year. (PNA)
FFC/SQM