Central Visayas firecracker injuries: 13 and counting

CEBU CITY – At least 13 persons who were injured by discarded firecrackers and another was hit by a stray bullet in Central Visayas between December 24 and 26, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Five of the firecracker victims were from Cebu City, two from Lapu-Lapu City, two from Mandaue City and three from Minglanilla town and the cities of Naga and Talisay. One of them sustained an eye injury.

One other victim was reported in Carmen, Bohol and another in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental.

DOH Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) Cluster Head Shelbay Blanco said most of the victims, who were aged between seven and 28 years old, did not light the firecrackers themselves.

The injuries were caused by varieties of firecrackers like Bamboo Cannon, Bingala, Candy Bomb, Kwitis, Sky Rocket, Whistle Bomb, Whistle Joke and Sparkle, Blanco said.

Reynante Porlasin, a 38-year-old native of Talisay, claimed he was struck by a stray bullet.

But Supt. Jason Villamater, Talisay City Police Station Chief, denied Porlasin’s claim.

Villamater said Porlasin was drunk after attending a Christmas party in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay, when his unlicensed 9mm pistol tucked in his waist went off, hitting him in the right leg and foot.

“The report was not really stray bullet. We would really deny that because as we followed it up, we traced that it was self-inflicted, it was accidental firing,” Villamater said.

Porlasin was reportedly arrested Tuesday.

RESU Head Rennan Cimafranca said DOH will also look into the incident.

Cimafranca further said “we don’t have problems with the figures… Once we can see that it was indeed selfinflicted, we can correct that.”

Sr. Supt. Angelito Dumangeng, chief of the directorial staff, said the Christmas celebration in the region was generally peaceful.

“So far, so good. We did not receive any reports of major injury due to the firing of guns, and other related major incidents,” Dumangeng said, adding that policemen deployed during Christmas will continue to secure the region for New Year.

The regional health office expects the number of victims of firecrackers to rise especially during New Year’s Eve.

The number of cases nationwide, on the other hand, was lower this year than the figure last year.

DOH recorded 29 firecracker-related injuries from 6 a.m. of December 21 to 6 a.m. of December 26.

“This is 81 cases [or 74 percent] lower than the five-year average and 42 cases [or 59 percent] lower than the same time period last year,” DOH noted in a statement.

Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo expects the number of firecracker injuries to drop by half because of the full implementation of the nationwide firecrackers ban.

“Last year, we recorded a 32-percent reduction in injuries due to rumors that there will be a ban. So this year we see further reduction of 50 percent now that the ban is already in place,” Bayugo said.

Executive Order 28 limits the use of firecrackers to community fireworks displays, and must be supervised by a trained individual. Pyrotechnic devices may still be used outside community fireworks display areas.