BAGUIO CITY – The City Health Services Office (CHSO) on Monday began monitoring fireworks- and firecracker-related injuries, with data gathered expected to guide future safety policies and preventive measures.
City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes said in an interview that the information collected during the monitoring period will serve as a basis for recommendations to both the executive and legislative branches of the city government.
“The data we obtain will serve as a springboard in recommending specific measures to further protect the public,” Brillantes said.
The monitoring will run until Jan. 6, 2026.
Based on previous data, the city government imposed a ban on the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics among the public, while allowing only regulated community fireworks displays conducted in designated areas with strict safety measures in place.
She recalled that Baguio previously had designated selling areas for firecrackers, but these were eventually prohibited to discourage their use and prevent injuries and fatalities, especially among children.
Records from the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center showed 13 fireworks-related injuries from Dec. 21, 2024 to Jan. 6, 2025.
These included six eye injuries, three blast injuries, three burns, and one abrasion. Nine of the victims were aged 7 to 16, while four were between 24 and 26 years old. **Liza Agoot
