Baguio starts surveillance of fireworks, firecracker-related injury

The Health Services Office of the city government of Baguio will start its surveillance monitoring of fireworks and firecracker-related injuries today, Dec. 21, 2025 until January 4, 2026.

Dr. Donnabel T. Panes of the CHSO Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit reminded for a safe yuletide celebration by using hornpipe/trumpet or “torotot” as noise makers and not firecrackers or unsupervised fireworks display.

Last year, the city health surveillance team reported a total of 14 firecracker-related injuries from Dec. 21, 2024 to Jan. 6, 2025 where eight are residents of Baguio while six were from the municipalities of Benguet Province.

Of the eight Baguio residents, mostly affected were the eyes and one hand amputation with their wounds mostly caused by an improvised noisemaker made out of polyvinyl pipe locally known as “boga.”

Victims range from seven years old to 32 with a median age of 15, mostly male and were just bystanders or passive observers not the handlers of the firecrackers.

Panes appealed to the public to refrain from using these harmful firecracker devices for their safety.

City Ordinance No. 53 series of 2009 imposes a “total ban at all times in the city of all kinds of firecrackers prohibited by the national law” and prohibits the sale and explosion of firecrackers and fireworks within the city limits.

Any person, firm, entity or corporation violating the provisions of this Ordinance will be liable to a case of misdemeanor and punishments as follows: first offense — confiscation of the firecrackers and fireworks and a fine of P2,000; second offense — fine of P3,000 to P5,000 at the discretion of the court; and third offense — revocation of business permit and imprisonment for not more than 30 days at the discretion of the court.

To discourage people from using firecrackers, the city had in the past years organized a community fireworks display to prevent possible accidents aside from minimizing smoke emission caused by the firecrackers.

This year, the city prepared again a New Year’s Countdown program at the Melvin Jones which is expected to include a fireworks display. – JM Samidan