The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, Dec. 30 reported 21 new firecracker-related injuries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 163, a 44 percent increase from the 113 cases recorded at the same time last year.
Of the 163 victims, 135 are aged 19 or younger, with 148 male victims and 15 female victims.
Majority of the injuries—118 cases, or 72 percent—were caused by illegal firecrackers, including “boga,” “five star,” and “piccolo.”
Among these, 106 cases, or 65 percent, involved individuals who were actively using the firecrackers at the time of the injury.
The DOH continues to urge the public to avoid using firecrackers.
It advised families to keep children away from firecrackers and to use safer alternatives, such as “torotot” (trumpets) or music, to celebrate the season.
In case of an emergency, the public is encouraged to call the 911 emergency hotline or the DOH emergency number at 1555 for immediate assistance.