'Apir' for the Holidays

Saturday, December 17, 2011

THE yuletide season represents joy to everyone. It's the time of the year when people experience and share happiness with family members. From Christmas to New Year's Eve, there's so much to enjoy for them.

Sadly though, the holiday season has a downside. The most important period of the year also attracts disaster as people resort to using firecrakers during the merrymaking, a very dangerous Filipino tradition that can result to injuries and even deaths.

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To prevent firecracker-related injuries in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) has intensified its "Iwas Paputok" campaign this year by launching "Apir" or the Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction (Give Me Five) drive.

DOH 11 director Dr. Teogenes F. Baluma said "Apir" focuses on the complete set of fingers representing five reminders to prevent injury this holiday season. The campaign also introduces five suggestions to keep everyone safe while celebrating the holidays.

"We want the people, especially the children to keep their fingers intact during Christmas and when they greet the coming New Year," Baluma told Sun.Star Davao in the vernacular.

Baluma said they hope the campaign will be effective in the Davao Region particularly in areas outside of Davao City which still embrace the old tradition of exploding firecrackers and other forms of pyrotechnic devices to celebrate Christmas and New Year's Day.

The DOH 11 chief said they have no problem with Davao City which imposes a total ban on firecrackers since 2002. What he and his staff at the DOH are concerned of are the other areas.

"What we do is only to remind the local government units," Baluma said. "We do not have control over the municipal health officer, we do not have a control over the city health officer and we do not have control over the provincial health officer."

He noted that other localities in the region like Panabo City had regulated the use of firecrackers by providing designated areas each year, but have not totally ban them like Davao City.

"We are really happy with Davao City," said Dr. Baluma, adding that other cities and provinces must follow what Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte did as his move 10 years ago is worth emulating.

Duterte, then mayor of Davao City, made an unprecedented move by imposing the policy against firecrackers back in 2002 and was supported by the Sangguniang Panlungsod when it passed an ordinance to this effect the following year. The measure prohibits the manufacture, sale, distribution, possession and use of firecrackers and other forms of pyrotechnic devices in the city throughout the year.

The firecracker ban was a tremendous success as Davao City was able to reduce the number of firecracker-related injuries in its first few years of implementation and eventually resulted to zero casualties in the last three years.

"If they want to be safe, they can come to Davao City," said retired colonel Verner Monsanto, head of the Davao Central 911.

Based on the DOH data on firecracker-related injuries the last three years, most of the victims came from Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley and Tagum City.

Baluma said they hope to have a much lower number of firecracker-related injuries this year, but maintained the LGUs must take the lead to realize this.

"The LGUs have the responsibility to keep the people safe. We are just here to remind them," Baluma said.

In Davao City, people have learned to celebrate and enjoy the yuletide season sans firecrackers as the city government had been lining up month-long activities each year to mark the celebration.

There's the Pasko Fiesta initiated by City Hall and held in cooperation with the private sector. The Pasko Fiesta is an event that encompasses all sectors, including the lumads, schoolchildren and the business sector, and highlights a long list of undertakings for the Dabawenyos and visitors to savor.

There's also the free carousel ride at the Rizal Park hat has been one of the attractions for the kids for several years now.

Pasko Fiesta spokesperson Orly Escarilla said the occasion is an annual come-on for visitors, an alternative event for them to cherish while in Davao City where firecracker explosion is a thing of the past.

"Definitely, it's worth emulating," Dr. Baluma said of the firecracker ban.

How he wished other areas will follow Davao City's lead.