DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) has recently listed fireworks as mandatory product but manufacturers need to ensure the safety of consumers using it during festivities.

DTI-Western Visayas Regional Director Dominic Abad said the BPS has recently issued Memorandum Circular 3, series of 2009, which was entitled “Timetable for Implementation of PNS 1220-2:1994-Fireworks Specification.”

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The circular requires all fireworks manufacturers to have their products certified by July 1, 2009 before they can sell these by October 1, 2009.

In order to thresh out problems that may occur during its implementation, Abad said a stakeholders’ forum was conducted last June 29 at the Grand Hotel which discussed the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act (RA) 7183, the law regulating firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.

Abad said local manufacturers of firecrackers have started to organize themselves into a cooperative to avail of the modern technology provided by the government.

The manufacturers are seeking for additional funds from the government to improve their backyard plant and boost productivity.

At least 200 backyard manufacturers of firecrackers are situated in Arevalo district, Iloilo City’s “firecracker capital.”