Firecracker selling banned in Munti

MANILA, Philippines—Better sell “Super Lolos” and “Goodbye Philippines” somewhere else.

Way ahead of the New Year revelry, the Muntinlupa local government has issued a total ban on firecrackers and pyrotechnics within the city to avert any injuries arising from its misuse, a perennial problem annually due to the often raucous celebrations.

In a statement, Mayor Aldrin San Pedro signed an executive order prohibiting the sale and distribution of firecrackers and pyrotechnics within the city to prevent accidents linked to them, usually at the turn of the new year.

The mayor indicated that he was fed up with the casualty reports submitted to him come January pertaining to the New Year celebration in the city.

“Every year, we conduct information campaign to warn people of the hazards of using firecrackers. However, people ignore the warnings and end up getting seriously injured. It’s time that we implement a total ban on the sale of firecrackers. This is for their own safety,” San Pedro said.

He said he was informed by the city health office, that hundreds got hurt in misusing firecrackers.

In enforcing the order, the City Hall would not be issuing business permits to entrepreneurs selling firecrackers and pyrotechnics as a step to curb its use, which often increases as the holidays draw near.

For business establishments caught selling these prohibited materials, the city government would immediately revoke its license to operate should they be found selling pyrotechnics, the mayor warned.

San Pedro directed the city police and other concerned departments to enforce the ban to the letter.

A month ago, the Department of Health encouraged local government units to simply organize “communal” fireworks displays so people could congregate in a plaza and appreciate the show with experts on hand dealing with pyrotechnics, similar to displays in Sydney and New York.

Alabang Bulletin interviewed some firecracker distributors and they said that the Muntinlupa government should have announced this earlier as they had already ordered their stocks and gave down payments to certain malls and venues where they usually sell.

Will these downpayments be refunded? That, we don’t know.

Does this ban include the use of firecrackers in the city?

Can Muntinlupa residents buy somewhere else like in Las Pinas and Paranaque and use these firecrackers IN Muntinlupa?

Those, everyone wants to find out.