• Executive Order No. 28 signed by former president Duterte on June 20, 2017, confined firecracker use to community fireworks displays.
• Republic Act No. 7183 passed in 1992 identified the types of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices allowed in the country and regulations to control their manufacture, sale, and use.
• According to the Bulacan provincial government website, the province’s pyrotechnics industry started in Santa Maria town. In 1867, Valentin Sta. Ana learned how to make fireworks from a local parish priest who used “kwitis’ or stick rockets to wake up parishioners for the start of Misa de Gallo.
• The Chinese were said to be the first who developed fireworks in the second century BC. The simple process was done by tossing bamboo stalks into a fire which caused it to explode, according to American Pyrotechnics Association.
COMMUNITY FIREWORK DISPLAYS -– Executive Order no. 28 in 2017 confined firecracker use to community firework displays. (Manila Bulletin File Photo)
What’s a New Year’s Eve without the magical flare of fireworks, or the crackling explosion of firecrackers?
Many are getting to know such a New Year’s Eve with government regulations prohibiting the use of firecrackers and fireworks in private homes and compounds. In the past years, only a limited variety of firecrackers were allowed but only in designated public areas, while private companies staging fireworks shows needed a permit and the supervision of experts.
The strict implementation of the prohibition of firecrackers and fireworks started in 2017 with former president Duterte issuing the Executive Order No. 28 on June 20, 2017, confining firecracker use to community fireworks displays.
According to the order, community fireworks display should be “conducted on the occasion or as a part of a celebration, competition, or similar event held in a venue other than a place of residence,” and “conducted under the supervision of a trained person duly licensed by PNP.”
Other than that, the fireworks display should also have a permit from the city or municipality, which should indicate the date, time, and exact location of the display.
But this is not the first time the regulation of the use of firecrackers and fireworks has been passed. Republic Act no. 7183 passed in 1992 identified the types of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices allowed in the country and regulations to control their manufacture, sale, and use.
Republic Act No. 7183 also ensured that the “manufacturing, distribution and use of regulated and illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices are at all times in check with the end in view of no or lesser damage to property and injuries to people,” said Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr., Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), in a recent Manila Bulletin report.
Despite the Department of Health’s perennial advice that fireworks and firecrackers can cause injuries, such as blasts or burns that may require amputation, eye injury, tetanus, poisoning, or even death, the exploding firecrackers can still be heard around neighborhoods every New Year’s Eve.
MANY FILIPINOS use firecrackers and fireworks during New Year celebration in a belief that they would chase away the bad luck and usher in good fortune. (Manila Bulletin File Photo)
Last month, in November, House Bill no. 5914, or the proposed Firecrackers Prohibition Act, was filed by Valenzuela City 1st district Rep. Rex Gatchalian. The proposed law prohibits anyone from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or using firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices or other similar devices. It also forbids discharging or exploding any firecracker or any explosive or using any pyrotechnic device.
It exempts corporations or entities requiring fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices in their firework displays as long as they secure a special permit from PNP-Fire and Explosives Office (FEO).
In an earlier Manila Bulletin story, the PNP-Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) guidelines were cited by PNP chief information officer Col. Redrico Maranan. He said firecrackers banned include piccolo, super lolo, atomic triangle, large judas belt, large bawang, pillbox, bosa, goodbye Philippines, bin laden, goodbye bading, goodbye covid, kwiton bomb, kwiton parachute, mother rocket, lolo thunder, coke in can, atomic bomb, five star, pla-pla, giant whistle bomb, kabasi, and watusi.
Maranan said the FEO rule states that any firecracker with more than 0.2 grams is already considered prohibited, the MB story said.
On the other hand, allowed to be used are butterfly, fountain, jumbo regular and special, luces, mabuhay, Roman Candle, sparklers, trompillo, whistle device, and all kinds of pyrotechnic devices (pailaw).
The Republic Act 7183 and the Executive Order 28, meanwhile, stated that those regulated for sale and use are Baby Rocket, bawang, El Diablo, Judas’ Belt, Paper Caps, Pulling of Strings, Sky Rocket (Kwitis), small triangulo, and other types of firecrackers that are not oversized, not overweight, and not imported.
Pyrotechnics industry
Although a total firecracker ban might look like the ideal solution, that would spell the end of the livelihood of many people, most of them in Bulacan where the pyrotechnics industry is one of the major industries. People flock to fireworks stalls in Bocaue town before the year ends to purchase firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.
Where it all began
According to the Bulacan provincial government website, the province’s pyrotechnics industry started in Santa Maria town. In 1867, Valentin Sta. Ana learned how to make fireworks from a local parish priest who used “kwitis’ or stick rockets to wake up parishioners for the start of Misa de Gallo.
Valentin, who mastered the craft, passed it on to his children, Valerio and Fernando. In 1938, the brothers opened the Santa Ana Fireworks factory in Barangay Balasing in Santa Maria. The company closed after the war, and Fernando established Victory Fireworks. The family also owned Universal Fireworks.
In Bulacan, Bocaue became the major trading hub because it is closer to Metro Manila where most of the buyers are located. However, majority of manufacturing factories are located in Santa Maria. Baliuag, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, and Angat also have pyrotechnic business.
According to Bulacan Police Director Col. Relly Arnedo, there are 22 licensed manufacturers and 81 distributors and resellers in Bulacan. Sixty of the 81 distributors and resellers have stores in Bocaue.
How fireworks started
The Chinese were said to be the first who developed fireworks in the second century BC. The simple process was done by tossing bamboo stalks into a fire which caused it to explode, according to American Pyrotechnics Association.
Around 600 to 900 AD, a Chinese alchemist was said to have discovered gunpowder by mixing potassium nitrate (saltpeter), sulfur, and charcoal. The gunpowder was then poured into the hollowed bamboo sticks (which later were paper tubes) to create fireworks, according to the group.
The colors that exploded in the sky were created by the mixture of mineral elements in the fireworks, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).