CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — The Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) has designated 619 areas in Central Luzon as firecracker zones in an effort to prevent firecracker-related injuries during this holiday season.
Chief Superintendent Amador V. Corpus, PRO3 regional director, said out of 619 identified firecracker zones in the region, 201 are in Bulacan; 163 in Zambales; 92 in Nueva Ecija; 68 in Bataan; 31 in Pampanga; 27 in Tarlac; 23 in Aurora and 14 in Angeles City.
President Rodrigo Duterte has earlier issued Executive Order No. 28, providing for the regulation and control of the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnics devices.
Under the EO, community fireworks displays may only be held in areas designated by the local government.
The prohibited firecrackers include piccolo, “super lolo,” whistle bomb, “goodbye earth,” “atomic big triangulo,” “Judas’ belt” and “watusi.”
The allowed ones, on the other hand, are baby rocket, “bawang,” “el Diablo,” paper caps, “pulling of strings,” sky rocket or “kwitis” and triangulo, which should be used only in identified firecracker zones.
Only pyrotechnic devices, which utilize visuals such as colored lights, flames, smoke, sparks and flashes are allowed within the surrounding of their homes.
Violators of EO No. 28 will be fined PHP20,000 to PHP30,000 or may be imprisoned for one to six years.
“We once again appeal to the public to refrain from using illegal firecrackers to avoid any injuries. Instead of firecrackers, we could all welcome the New Year with other forms of merriment,” Corpus said. (Zorayda Tecson/PNA)
