President Rodrigo R. Duterte proposed a compromise Monday night on the plan to implement a total firecracker ban.
As part of the government order which permits only community fireworks displays, President Duterte made leeway for the use of firecrackers if they will be handled by the local government, particularly the mayor and chief of police.
“So as not to deprive the Bocaue residents of their livelihood, I will only allow, kung maabutan pa ako ng Pasko ulit (if I can make it to another Christmas). I will only allow firecrackers and everything to be done by government and it would be the mayor and chief of police who would do this,” the Chief Executive stated.
The President also advised the sellers of fireworks to “ipagbili na lang ninyo sa lahat ng LGUs, marami ‘yan. Kikita kayo (sell it to the local government units (LGUs), there’s a lot of them. You will earn profit). But sell it only to the police.”
He insisted that this move is still a part of the government’s precaution against firecracker-related incidents every year.
“I’ll leave it to the mayor and to the chief of police to see to it that I said the presentation for the firecrackers shall be on New Year only. Ngayon, ‘yung mga taga-Bocaue, kung makapagbili kayo nang marami doon sa iba’t ibang probinsiya at siyudad (Now, the Bocaue residents, if you can sell to various provinces and cities) and everybody would be interested really because that is what the community wants. I will only allow it when it is done by government. Mag-compromise tayo (Let’s compromise),” he added. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
