CITY OF MALOLOS—Fireworks-related injuries in Central Luzon increased to at least thirty one percent, based on the latest report released by the Department of Health (DOH) region 3 office.
As of Tuesday, there were 350 injuries reported in the seven provinces and two cities compared to 268 last year, or 31 percent increase.
From Dec. 21, 2023-Jan. 2, compared with the same period last year, only Angeles City with 5 incidents and 11 incidents respectively and the province of Zambales with 15 incidents this year compared with 16 incidents last year recorded a drop in cases.
Bulacan, the considered fireworks capital of the country wherein firecrackers and pyrotechnics are manufactured, sold and distributed particularly in Bocaue and Sta. Maria towns, recorded the highest number of incidents for both years. From 91 cases last year, it increased to 139 cases this year.
Olongapo City and Aurora province, from 3 incidents last year have recorded 4 this year. Bataan from 11 last year recorded 12 this year. Nieva Ecija increased from 42 cases last to 59 this year while Pampanga and Tarlac also both recorded an increase from 72 to 79 and 19 to 33 cases respectively.
Tarlac recorded the highest increase in incidents at 74 percent compared with last year.
Based on the data, 279 out of the 350 cases or 79 percent are male from 1-79 years old while 96 cases or 27 percent are 1-10 years old.
Most from the recorded injuries are burns in the hands, head, eyes, legs, arm and forearm, foot, thigh, chest and other parts of the body.
Officials attributed the increase in incidents to this year’s more lively celebration of the new year compared with the still up post pandemic health restrictions in 2022 until the early part of 2023.
