TABUK CITY, Kalinga– In an effort to control the use of prohibited firecrackers this Christmas season, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) will begin to inspect stores and other outlets selling such type of firecrackers.
Aiming for zero fire incident, Senior Fire Officer 2 Ceasar Achawon said that prohibited firecrackers causing explosion and injuries will be confiscated adding that only safe firecrackers are allowed but must be sold at designated places and not inside the market or closed areas where fire is likely to happen.
Achawon also said that their office has intensified its Oplan Paputok by revisiting the densely populated areas in the city and distribute fire safety tips flyers to remind people to be cautious on the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics which form part of festivities in almost all places in the country.
At the onset of the celebration of Christmas and New Year, BFP fire trucks will be stationed in firecracker selling zones and thickly populated places in order to respond immediately to fire calls.
RA 7183 (Pyrotechnic Devices Law) states that persons caught manufacturing, selling, distributing and purchasing prohibited firecrackers may be imprisoned for six months to a year and may be slapped with a fine of P20,000.00 to P30,000.00.
The Department of Health and Department of Trade and Industry cited the list of firecrackers not allowed to sold and manufactured in the country. These are watusi or “dancing firecracker’’, piccolo, superlolo, atomic big triangulo, pillbox, big Judah’s belt, big bawang, kwiton, Goodbye Philippines and Kabasi.
Meanwhile, the firecrackers allowed to be sold are baby rocket, bawang, small triangulo, pulling of strings, paper caps, kwitis, luces, fountain, butterfly and airwolf. ** By Darwin S. Serion/City Information Office
