BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan made a last ditch appeal to residents in the city to refrain from using firecrackers and pyrotechnic material to celebrate the new year but to use other modes of creating noise for better luck in 2017.
The local chief executive revealed the campaign of the local government against the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials for the New Year revelry has been successful based on the Christmas eve activities wherein a few residents exploded firecrackers and pyrotechnic material to welcome the birth of Christ.
“We want to appeal to our constituents to sustain the success of our campaign against the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials for the Yuletide revelry to avoid potential life-threatening injuries. We call on our people to instead use alternative modes of creating noise to help drive away the evil spirits for better luck in 2017,” Domogan stressed.
He added the zero firecracker-related injuries in the city even after the Christmas indicates the cooperation of the residents to the local government’s campaign for a safe and peaceful revelry.
According to him, the firm decision of city officials in not issuing the permits to firecracker and pyrotechnic material vendors even without the required legislation translated to the benefit of residents as there were no firecracker-related incidents recorded in the city since the reckoning period imposed by the health department on December 21.
With the successful turnout of the local government’s campaign against the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials for the Yuletide revelry, Domogan is keeping his fingers crossed that the local legislative body will pass the needed legislation to ban and regulate the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials in the city to achieve zero firecracker-related injuries in the city.
Domogan also expressed his gratitude to the firecracker and pyrotechnic vendors for accepting the decision of the local government in not granting them the permit to these materials in the city over the past three years, saying that the primordial interest of the city officials is to ensure the safety of the residents during the celebration of the Yuletide revelry.
Domogan said the local government is ready to help the displaced firecracker and pyrotechnic vendors find alternative business ventures that will not pose a serious threat to the safety of the people.
Considering that the initial implementation of the firecracker ban in the city has gained positive results through the years, Domogan said the local government is inclined to pursue the ban through the enactment of the appropriate local legislation.
He said it has been observed that lesser people are now exploding firecrackers during the annual celebration of the New Year that is why there is a big possibility for the implementation of the firecracker ban in the city to succeed in the future.
By Dexter A. See
