The Health department reported that there was a 53-percent decrease in the number of fireworks-related injuries this year compared to the previous year.
There were 384 such injuries reported to the DoH as of the morning of the first day of the year, versus the 814 reported in 2014.
Most of the injuries took place in Metro Manila, with 73 in the City of Manila, 46 in Quezon City, 28 in Marikina City, 27 in Mandaluyong and 18 in Valenzuela.
The 2015 number is also 57 percent lower than the average number of injuries from 2010 to 2014.
This is a welcome, albeit overdue, development. Filipinos of a certain age would remember a time when it was dangerous to venture out to the streets even in the morning or afternoon of Dec. 31.
Over many years, the government has campaigned against the use of firecrackers and has exhorted local government units to do their part in ensuring people’s safety. The shame technique against the “pasaway” who went ahead and used the dangerous materials worked because they were portrayed as bringing their misfortune unto themselves. Thus, they had no right to invoke our sympathy.
The campaign of course excluded the victims of stray bullets or firecrackers.
Some local executives were also more resolute than their counterparts in banning the use of firecrackers and implementing punishments on them. Fireworks displays organized by various groups also helped wean people away from the blasts and into the colorful, awe-inspiring displays they can film with their smartphones even from a distance.
Finally, and after many years, more people seem to have realized the foolishness of exposing themselves to unnecessary risk just to keep traditions or maintain appearances of being trendy among the neighbors. It was also a good thing that it rained.
This issue will not surface again until toward the end of the year that has just begun. May the numbers be even lower then.