Ban be damned

Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan for a nationwide ban on firecrackers and pyrotechnics, the town of Bocaue, the fireworks capital of the Philippines, launched on Jan. 1 its very own pyromusical exhibition called ‘Pailaw Pasasalamat 2017’ by the 12-kilometer Bocaue River in Bulacan. Members of the nationwide Philippine Pyrotechnics Manufacturers and Dealers Inc. teamed up with Bocaue Mayor Jonjon Villanueva to start a tradition and give back to the Bocaueños the fruit of their fireworks industry.