By Freddie Velez
MALOLOS, Bulacan – The provincial government of Bulacan, headed by Governor Daniel R. Fernando and Vice Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado, together with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), are closely monitoring the implementation of “Oplan Ingat Paputok 2019” to ensure a safe and peaceful welcome of 2020.
Governor Daniel R. Fernando inspected the Dragon Fireworks and Pyro Manufacturing Plant in San Rafael, Bulacan recently.(Freddie Velez/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Fernando said that the PDRRMO Operation Center (Opcen) is in coordination with local authorities in the three cities and 21 municipalities of the province, as well as to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bulacan police, rescue teams, provincial public health office, Bulacan Medical Center, different district hospitals and other concerned agencies in preparation for the revelries of the New Year.
He said a team at the OpCen is monitoring the situation thru radio, fax, telephone, mobile messages and Facebook.
Recently, the governor and the Opcen team has held a meeting with officials of the Bulacan Medical Center regarding preparedness at the different public hospitals.
“We must be ready and prepared for any eventualities,” Fernando said.
He also said that PDRRMC Member Agencies, together with the Bulacan Rescue, recently conducted a meeting regarding "Oplan Ingat Paputok".
In Bocaue town, the acknowledged fireworks capital of the country, firefighters with firetrucks have been deployed on Sunday morning when three fireworks stores were padlocked because of some violations.
Colonel Emma M. Libunao, acting Bulacan police director, identified the three stores as Minia’s Fireworks, Lylachat Fireworks and Evelyn’s Pyrotechnics.
Last Saturday, Officer-In-Charge of the Philippine National Police, Lt. General Archie Gamboa inspected several stores in Bocaue to see to it that the regulations and guidelines of RA 7183 and EO 28 is strictly followed.
Traffic is already heavy in Barangay Turo, Bocaue as people have started to flock the stores since Sunday night wherein prices of some fireworks have gone up and may stay at their levels until the last hours of 2019, according to traders.