Baguio City logs zero firecracker injuries during New Year 2026

BAGUIO CITY — Baguio City recorded zero firecracker-related injuries during the peak of the 2025 holiday season and the transition to the New Year 2026, a feat local officials attributed to aggressive enforcement and sustained public information campaigns.

The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), together with the City Health Office, confirmed that no casualties or injuries were recorded from 23 December 2025, to 1 January 2026.

Police said the outcome was the result of a combination of enforcement and preventive measures. Authorities confiscated 13,528 assorted illegal firecrackers and improvised noisemakers, commonly known as “boga,” effectively removing them from public circulation.

The campaign also included firearm safety initiatives, with police officers engaging 136 licensed firearm holders to prevent indiscriminate firing during the holiday celebrations.

Community education played a key role in the effort, as police distributed 4,263 notices across various barangays to inform residents about the health risks and legal penalties associated with illegal firecrackers and gunfire.

Local officials said the combination of strict contraband control and active information dissemination significantly reduced the usual hazards associated with New Year’s Eve celebrations, making Baguio one of the few urban centers to record a completely injury-free holiday period this year.