BACOLOD CITY — Firecracker related injuries in Western Visayas decreased by 52 percent, to only 95 incidents in 2017 compared to the previous year’s 198, figures released by the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) on Sunday showed.
Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, the spokesperson of PRO-6, said the total number of cases was based on the final count of the Department of Health Region 6 (DOH-6) as of January 5.
The DOH monitoring period was from Dec. 21, 2017 to Jan. 5, 2018.
The 95 cases included those from Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, 43; Aklan, 14; Iloilo Province, 12; Capiz, 8; Antique, 8; Guimaras, 6; Iloilo City, 4.
Gorero pointed out that the downtrend in the firecracker-related injuries in Region 6 could be attributed to the multi-sectoral cooperation as well as the coordination between the DOH, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Bureau of Fire Protection.
He added that Executive Order No. 28, which regulates and controls the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices, effectively aided in the reduction of cases during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Only one case of indiscriminate firing/stray bullet was recorded this year in Buruanga, Aklan. Last year, there were 20 incidents with 15 injuries.
Earlier, the PRO-6 also reported that crime incidents during the Yuletide season decreased by 67.75 percent.
A total of 841 cases were recorded in 2017 compared to the 1,977 incidents in 2016. (PNA)
