The incidence of firecracker-related injuries was reduced dramatically by 80 percent in Quezon City this year with the confiscation of P546,000 worth of pyrotechnics, an official said Sunday.
Mayor Joy Belmonte said the Quezon City Police District and the city’s Market Development and Administration Department were able to seize various kinds of pyrotechnics worth P546,073.
“The intensified campaign against the sale and distribution of firecrackers has drastically reduced the number of firecracker-related injuries this year,” she said.
“Again, I thank the QCPD and MDAD for their hard work and dedication to ensure the safety of our people in welcoming 2021.”
Meanwhile, a man, mistaken as a robbery hold-up suspect was shot dead by a policeman during a hot pursuit in San Matias village in Santa Rita, Pampanga, following a robbery break-in at a computer shop in this late Saturday night.
Police said the victim was a 29-year-old construction worker who succumbed to a gunshot wound in his back. The victim’s sister said her brother was walking toward a relative’s house when he was shot from behind by a policeman tailing him.
The Interior department said Saturday did not receive any report of fires linked to firecrackers throughout the country during the holiday season.
Firecracker-related injuries also went down by 85 percent compared to the same period the previous year. Only 50 people were injured for firecracker use from Dec. 21, 2020, to Jan. 1 compared to 340 in December 2019.
Based on data from the Quezon City’s Health department, a total of seven fireworks-related injuries were reported by various hospitals in the city from Dec. 21, 2020, up to 6 a.m. of Jan. 2.
Belmonte said the number was lower by 80 percent compared to the 35 firecracker-related incidents recorded during the same period last year. The ages of those involved ranged from five years to 44 years old.
“Three cases were caused by Kuwitis, the other three were caused by Piccolo which is illegal and the last case was caused by Pop-pop,” Belmonte said.
Two cases were recorded at the East Avenue Medical Center and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, while Saint Luke’s Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center and Chinese General and Medical Center had one case each.No case of death, gunshot wound, stray bullet and firecracker ingestion was reported, Belmonte said.
She earlier ordered the strict enforcement of an Ordinance prohibiting the use of firecrackers in public places and an ordinance outlawing the selling or sharing any type of firecracker to minors.