Welcoming the New Year will be a painful memory forever for a 10-year-old boy after a firecracker blew up in his hand in Muntinlupa on Jan. 1.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon posted a photo of the boy’s bloodied and nearly severed left hand to remind people of the danger of using firecrackers, which is banned in Muntinlupa under City Ordinance 14-092.
The boy, a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa, was severely injured when he picked up a Pla-pla, a banned firecracker in the country. He was admitted to the Ospital ng Muntinlupa (Osmun) for treatment past 3 a.m. on Jan. 1.
The bloodied left hand of a 10-year-old boy of Muntinlupa who was severely injured by a firecracker on Jan. 1 (Photo from Mayor Ruffy Biazon)
As of 6 p.m. of Jan. 1, the Muntinlupa City Health Office Surveillance Team recorded 17 people who were injured by firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices in Muntinlupa, up from the original tally of seven.
Of the 17, nine were injured during the fiesta celebration in Barangay Bayanan on Jan. 1.
Biazon lamented what happened to the 10-year-old boy whose life changed because of the accident.
“Ang bagong taon sana ay sinasalubong natin na may pag-asa sa mas magandang buhay sa darating na taon. Pero para sa batang ito, permanente nang nagbago ang kanyang buhay tungo sa hindi inaasahan at di kanais-nais na pangyayari. Dahil lang sa paputok (We should be welcoming the new year with hope for a better life in the coming year. But for this kid, his life has changed permanently to an unexpected and undesirable event. Just because of firecrackers),” the mayor posted on Facebook.
The Muntinlupa City government and the Muntinlupa Police campaigned to remind people that the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices is banned under Ordinance No. 14-092, passed in 2014.
The ordinance prohibits “the manufacture, display, sale, distribution, possession or use of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices and such other similar devices and the exploding of firecrackers or other similar explosives within the territorial jurisdiction of Muntinlupa City.”
Biazon said what happened to the boy was an example why the ordinance was passed, in addition to a local law that prohibits the use of modified mufflers.
“Ito ang dahilan kung bakit pinag utos ko ang enforcement ng mga nasabing ordinansa. Hindi para lang maging killjoy o mag power trip. Sinumpaang tungkulin ko na protektahan ang seguridad at kaligtasan ng mga mamamayan at kaayusan ng ating lungsod (This is the reason why I ordered the enforcement of said ordinances. Not just to be a killjoy or to power trip. It is my sworn duty to protect the security and safety of the citizens and the order of our city),” he said.
He added, “Meron mga nagagalit o pinagtatawanan ang pagpapatupad ng mga ordinansang ito dahil para sa kanila, pansariling kaligayahan nila ang naaapektuhan kahit na ba ang karamihan ay naaabala, nasasaktan o nagugulo ang kaayusan ng komunidad (There are those who are angry or laugh at the implementation of these ordinances because for them, their personal happiness is affected even though the majority is disturbed, hurt or the order of the community is disrupted).”
Despite this, Biazon said it is more important that the city government fulfilled its duty to protect the welfare of residents.
“Maraming nakalusot dahil hindi kinaya ng ating mga enforcers ang dami ng mga violators (Many got away because our enforcers could not handle the number of violators),” he said.
He said, “Pito lamang ang naitala na nasaktan dahil sa paputok. Pero baka mas marami pa yan kung hindi kami nagpatupad ng pagbabantay (Only seven people were recorded injured due to firecrackers. But there could have been more if we had not implemented vigilance).”
“Nakakalungkot lang na may isang bata na nasira ang kanyang kamay. Isa lang siya, pero isang buhay ang nawalan ng lubos na kakayahan dahil sa walang saysay na pangyayari (It is just unfortunate that a child had his hand broken. He was only one, but a life was completely disabled due to a senseless incident),” the mayor said.