CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- In its last ditch efforts to warn the public and prevent firecracker casualties this holiday season, the Police Regional Office in Central Luzon bared the list of firecracker zones in Pampanga.
This came in pursuant to Executive Order No. 28 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in June this year which bans the sale of firecrackers or use of firecrackers in households or residential areas nationwide.
PRO-Central Luzon Regional Director Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus disclosed that there are 45 designated places in towns and cities in Pampanga, including Angeles City, where use of firecrackers will be allowed.
In Apalit town, use of firecrackers will only be allowed along the MacArthur Highway portion of Barangay San Vicente, while the Arayat police identified the area behind the municipal hall in Barangay Plazang Luma in Arayat town as firecracker zone.
The use of firecrackers and fireworks is also in front of Xevera Public Market in Barangay Calibutbut, Bacolor town, as well as Barangay Sta. Cruz in Lubao town, Poblacion San Nicolas I in Magalang, and Don Emigdio Bondoc Convention Center in Barangay Sto. Tomas, San Luis.
Several areas in Candaba town were also identified as firecrackers zone namely Sitio Pansul area in Candaba-Sta. Ana road for the Poblacion area, the vicinity of Bahay Pare Municipal Extension Building for the Tagalog region and the vicinity of Salapungan Municipal Extension Building for Kapampangan region, while fireworks display zone in barangays will be identified by village councils.
In Sasmuan, the area in front of Don Lorenzo Laxamana Park in Barangay Sta. Lucia was identified, likewise in Barangay San Jose Catholic Church and Dila-Dila Sports Center in Sta. Rita town, and the open space in front of La Corona State Subdivision in Barangay San Matias Sto. Tomas.
The central business district in Barangay Plaza Burgos, and Barangays Sto. Niño and Sto. Cristo in Guagua town and the Municipal Cemetery in Barangay Mabical, and inside the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca were also identified.
The firecrackers zones in Minalin town are the areas in front of Minalin Catholic Cemetery in Barangay San Nicolas and near Loyola Memorial Garden in Barangay Sto. Domingo, and Model Community Oval in Barangay Pio, Baywalk in Barangay Cangatba and Barangay Manibaug Paralaya for Porac town.
Poblacion area of Macabebe and Barangay San Juan in Sta. Ana allowed the use of firecrackers while Mexico and San Simon towns did not identify any firecrackers and fireworks zone.
Angeles City, which earlier banned the sale and distribution of firecrackers for health reasons, also identified several places as firecrackers zones.
This are the basketball courts in Barangays Pulungbulu, Amsic, Sta Teresita, Ninoy Aquino, Salapungan, Virgen Delos Remedios, Claro M. Recto, and Agapito Del Rosario, as well as the People’s Park in Barangay Pampang, an open space in Don Bonifacio in Barangay Pulong Maragul, Citi Center in Barangay Pandan, Epza in Barangay Pulong Cacutud, Don Juico Avenue in Barangay Malabanias and Taug Dike in Barangay Cauayan.
In a statement, Corpus asked the cooperation of the public on the use and selling of firecrackers to avoid any untoward incidents and maintain peace and order during the whole holiday season.
“We once again appeal to the public to refrain from using illegal firecrackers to avoid any injuries. Instead of firecrackers, we could all welcome the New Year with other forms of merriment," he said.