By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded a total of 125 cases of fireworks-related injuries (FWRI) in the days leading up to New Year festivities.
In its report, the agency cited 57 cases in the National Capital Region, 12 in Ilocos Region, and 11 in Central Luzon—with most of the victims being males aged 5-14 and with 5-star, boga, kwitis, and whistle bombs cited among the top causes of reported injuries.
These firecrackers were earlier cited by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its list of banned pyrotechnic devices, noting the significant harm caused by these illicit explosive devices, especially among the youth.
The report, moreover, cites 215 incidents of non-communicable diseases during the holiday season, with 135 cases of acute stroke (brain attack), 56 of acute coronary syndrome (heart attack), and 24 of bronchial asthma.
Meanwhile, 414 crashes were recorded across the country, with Regions II (Cagayan Valley), IV-A (Calabarzon), and I (Ilocos) serving as prime locations for these road mishaps.
Most of the victims were males aged 15-29 years old, with 74% of these incidents involving motorcycles—83% of which have no safety accessories—and 14% of these cases involved intoxicated drivers.
Rounding up the report, 675 calls were received by the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) from Dec. 21-29, with young adults aged 18-30 being the most frequent callers, followed by those aged 31-43.
Most of those who sought assistance through the NCMH Hotline 1553 were females, with anxiety/depressive systems, love/relationship problems, and family problems cited as top reasons for seeking help from accredited professionals.
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