Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has banned households from using firecrackers and staging their own fireworks display throughout the city.

Under her Executive Order 54-2022, Belmonte said only the approved pyrotechnic types would be allowed to be used in public places.

It may be recalled that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last week urged local government units to stage fireworks displays safely so the public would have no need to use firecrackers and fireworks.

In issuing the directive, the mayor noted the 47 percent increase in pyrotechnics-related injuries in 2021 compared to the previous year.

"We want to minimize, if not totally eliminate, the number of firecracker-related injuries and casualties. We also want to protect homes, commercial buildings and other structures against fires," she said.

Authorization from the Department of Public Order and Safety is needed to be secured by anyone who wants to use public space for a fireworks display.

In an interview, Belmonte said fireworks displays will be held at the Quezon Memorial Circle and in select malls in the city like Eastwood, SM and Robinson's.

She also limited the sale of permissible firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices within shopping malls with clearance from the DPOS and a special permit from the Business Permits and Licensing Department.