San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) President Francis Zamora said the MMC is set to release guidelines on the firecracker ban to be implemented in the National Capital Region (NCR) as part of its efforts to minimize the number of injuries caused by the misuse of firecrackers during the new year revelry.
During the joint session of the MMC and the Regional Development Council (RDC) which he co-chairs, Zamora said that the Metro Manila mayors will convene to discuss the guidelines they will implement regarding the firecracker ban which was first imposed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017.
Executive Order no. 28, “Providing For The Regulation and Control of the Use of Firecrackers And Other Pyrotechnic Devices," bans individuals from using firecrackers or setting up their own fireworks displays, a cultural tradition Filipinos are accustomed to during “events of personal, religious, cultural and national importance,” especially during New Year’s Eve or even the Chinese New Year.
"Magkakaroon ng designated firecracker areas. Ngunit depende din yan sa pagkakasunduan ng mayors kasi each city will have its own designated fireworks area para iwas syempre sa aksidente ngayong bagong taon (There will be designated firecracker areas, but these will depend on what the mayors of each city will agree upon because each city will have its own designated fireworks area to avoid accidents this new year)," Zamora said.
The EO sets forth the criteria that must be complied with before a display of fireworks can qualify such as: it must be conducted on the occasion or as part of a celebration, competition, or similar event held in a venue other than the residence; it is conducted under the supervision of Philippine National Police (PNP) - licensed and trained personnel; and, it has a municipal/city permit that states the date, time and area where the display will be conducted.
In December last year, the PNP released the names and brands of allowed and prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnics.
RA 7183 and EO 28 enumerated these firecrackers as regulated:
• Baby Rocket
• Bawang
• El Diablo
• Judas’ Belt
• Paper Caps
• Pulling of Strings
• Sky Rocket (Kwitis)
• Small “Triangulo”
• Other types of firecrackers that are not oversized, not overweight, and not imported.
The following is the list of pyrotechnic devices allowed to be sold and used:
•Butterfly
• Fountain
• Jumbo Regular and Special
• Luces
• Mabuhay
• Roman Candle
• Sparklers
• Trompillo
• Whistle Device
• All kinds of pyrotechnic devices (Pailaw)
• Other types equivalent to the foregoing pyrotechnic devices
Meanwhile, the prohibited firecrackers are the following:
•Watusi
• Piccolo
• Pop pop
• Five Star
• Pla-pla
• Lolo Thunder
• Giant Bawang
• Giant Whistle Bomb
• Atomic Bomb
• Super Lolo
• Atomic Triangle
• Goodbye Bading
• Large-size Judas Belt
• Goodbye Philippines
• Goodbye Delima
• Bin Laden
• Hello Columbia
• Mother Rockets
• Goodbye Napoles
• Coke-in-Can
• Super Yolanda;
• Pillbox;
• Mother Rockets;
• Boga;
• Kwiton;
• Kabasi;
• All overweight and oversized firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices (FCPD);
• All imported finished products;
• Other unlabelled locally made FCPD products;
• Other types of firecrackers with other brands/names equivalent to those that are prohibited.