THE Provincial Health Office reminded local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental to comply with Executive Order No. 28 regulating the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics.

Dr. Jessica Fama, chief of the PHO Technical Services, said that based on the order issued by President Rodrigo Duterte, the LGUs must designate an area where firecrackers will be allowed.

Big and strong firecrackers are already banned and LGUs should look into the details of the EO to determine what is allowed and what is not, Fama said.

She added that while the Department of Health advocates for “Oplan Iwas Paputok” to avoid firecracker-related incidents this holiday season, the lead implementing agencies are the Philippine National Police and the LGUs. Other agencies involved are the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

The LGUs will also have to designate areas where selling of firecrackers and pyrotechnics are allowed, Fama said.