BAGUIO CITY – – The Department of Health Cordillera Regional Office (DOH – CAR) led other partners in promoting a safe and healthy celebration of the Yuletide season through the launching of the annual “Iwas Paputok” advocacy campaign in a kapihan media forum here.
The advocacy campaign dubbed as “Oplan: Iwas Paputok, Fireworks Display ang Patok” calls for the public to do away with the use of firecrackers and opt for safer noise and merry making activities, and to join community fireworks displays especially during the New Year revelry.
Dr. Alexei Marrero, DOH – CAR Health Emergency Management Cluster head, shared that from their yuletide monitoring period last year (December 21, 2017 to January 5, 2018), 17 cases of fireworks related injuries were recorded. Most of the victims were males and within the 10 years old and below bracket with a 3-year old as the youngest.
He said it is still the health department’s goal to achieve a firecracker injury- free Yuletide celebration.
For a more effective Iwas Paputok campaign, Marrero called on Cordillera LGUs to support the campaign through local ordinances or administrative orders banning the sale and use of firecrackers in their respective localities.
So far, only 25 out of the 75 cities and municipalities in the region have anti – firecracker sale and use ordinances, he said.
Aside from the injury– free advocacy campaign, Marrero also reminds the public to have a healthy yuletide celebration by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially by watching their diet and having enough rest, as the season tends to bring more parties and arrays of sweet and fatty foods.
People should also look into proper food preparations, handling and storage, he added.
Joining DOH–CAR for the Yuletide season injury–free advocacy campaign are BFP Regional Director F/Supt Lilibeth Simangan and P/Supt. Pilita Tacio of Police Regional Office – Cordillera who assured that their preparedness measures for the Yuletide season are already in place, Dr. Donnabel Tubera of the City Health Services Office and Razi Gatchalian and Aileen Fernando of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, and lawyer George Forteia, Secretary to the City Mayor. **JDP/CCD- PIA CAR
