The Department of Health (DoH) reported yesterday that the number of firecracker-related injuries had risen to 69. Twenty-six were logged on Thursday alone.

Of that figure, 58 of the victims were below 19 years of age. Meanwhile, 65 of them were male, while four were female. Fifty-one, or 71 percent, of the cases actively used firecrackers.

A total of 59, or 86 percent, of the cases used illegal firecrackers, particularly boga.

The DoH reminded the public to welcome the New Year safely and healthily and avoid playing with illegal firecrackers such as boga, 5-star and piccolo.

It reminded the public to also avoid playing with fireworks and instead make loud noise with drums, horns, kettles and other noisemakers. It urged parents to stop their children from using firecrackers.

The National Emergency hotline can be reached at 911 while the DoH hotline is at 1555.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Thursday tallied 32 firecracker-related incidents as of this month which is the total count for the entire year.

Sixteen of the incidents were caused by fireworks, while 15 were linked to firecrackers.

The majority of the incidents occurred in Calabarzon, followed by Metro Manila, Western Visayas and Central Luzon.

Cyber crackdown

Also Thursday, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) shut down 115 online platforms selling illegal firecrackers.

In a report, the PNP-ACG said it took down 59 Facebook pages, 54 X (formerly Twitter) accounts, one website, and one account on the audio streaming app Spotify, among the platforms it shut down.

In a press briefing, acting ACG chief Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang said they were intensifying their cyber patrol to run after those engaged in the illegal activity.

“If we see any violation, we will request a takedown of these pages. We are monitoring them and, in fact, our cyber patrollers are submitting reports. Let us remember that this activity violates the law and has corresponding fines and imprisonment,” Yang said.

Yang noted that violators of Republic Act 7183, or An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution, and Use of Firecrackers and Pyrotechnic Devices, face fines ranging from P20,000 to P30,000 and imprisonment of up to one year.

Using online platforms for the illegal activity is a violation of Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, Yang added.

The ACG has carried out eight operations against the online sale of banned firecrackers, which resulted in the arrest of 10 people and the seizure of firecrackers worth P76,400 from 6 to 26 December.