TACLOBAN CITY — Firearm replicas, commonly known as “pellet gun” toys, openly sold by ambulant vendors on sidewalks were among the most sought-after Christmas gifts for children this year.

Priced between P200 and P400 each, sidewalk vendor Ruben said he sold more than 100 pellet guns over the weekend alone. He added that the toys were purchased in bulk from Divisoria.

“Toy guns remain a hot-selling item during Christmas,” he said.

However, a toxics watchdog group raised the alarm and urged local government units (LGUs) to impose a ban on the sale and use of such toys to prevent injuries, hazards, and chemical exposure among children.

The group, Ban Toxics, called on LGUs to confiscate all firearm replicas with plastic pellet ammunition to prevent physical injury, and to conduct community awareness campaigns promoting safe toys for children.

Ban Toxics noted that in Leyte province, only Baybay City has an ordinance banning the sale and use of firearm-replica toys.

Other LGUs with similar bans include Benguet province; Angono and Taytay in Rizal; San Pablo City in Laguna; Naga City in Camarines Sur; Cebu City; Zamboanga Sibugay; and Barangay Pinagsama in Taguig, Makati, Malabon, Marikina, and Valenzuela in Metro Manila.

In its recent market surveillance, the group said it monitored and purchased five samples of colorful firearm-replica pellet guns, including .45-caliber pistols and Uzi-style machine guns, along with plastic pellet ammunition. Prices ranged from P100 to P350 per toy.

Using a Vanta C Series handheld XRF analyzer, Ban Toxics found that all samples contained dangerous levels of toxic lead—up to 820 parts per million (ppm)—and cadmium, reaching up to 206 ppm. Other chemicals detected included barium and bromine.

The group said all samples contained one or more toxic metals above regulatory limits, increasing the potential harm from multiple exposures to hazardous substances.

It also noted that most of the toy guns were sold without proper labeling, including the absence of manufacturer information, limited warning labels (only choking hazards), missing instructional materials, and lack of market authorization from the Food and Drug Administration—violations of Republic Act No. 10620, or the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act of 2013.

The World Health Organization has warned that lead exposure is particularly dangerous to children’s developing brains and can result in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), shortened attention span, impaired learning ability, and increased risk of behavioral problems. Even small amounts of lead exposure can cause developmental delays and learning difficulties.

“Toy-like weapons, such as pellet guns and similar toys, should be banned from manufacturing, distribution, sale, and use to prevent chemical exposure, as they pose a clear and imminent danger to children’s health,” said Thony Dizon, advocacy and campaign officer of Ban Toxics. “Parental supervision is advised to ensure children’s safety from physical harm caused by dangerous toys.”

“We urge the public to exercise due diligence when selecting gift toys and to refrain from buying dangerous and hazardous items. The safety of our children should be our priority and must not be taken for granted,” the group added.