Duterte may certify as urgent bill on total firecracker ban – Panelo

January 2, 2020

Malacanang said on Thursday it could be "probable" that President Rodrigo Duterte certifies as urgent the passage of the bill totally banning firecrackers in the country.

This was after the Department of Health reported that initially, from Dec. 21, 2019 to Jan. 1, 2020, there were 164 fireworks-related injuries.

Despite a 35 percent decline from 251 cases reported during the same period a year ago, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has said the DOH would not stop until it achieves zero firework-related injuries.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte could be in favor of a toal ban on firecrackers since there is such ordinance in Davao City, his hometown.

Asked if Duterte is likely to certify a bill totally banning the firecrackers in the country as urgent, Panelo, in a press briefing, said, "That's probable."

But the spokesman said the Palace welcomed the decrease in the number of firework-related injuries and no reported fatality.

"It should be relatively successful given the fact that there has been down trend in injuries - 35 percent, 35 percent is big. And there are no (reported) deaths, that's significant. There is no death unlike before," he explained. Celerina Monte/DMS