BOCAUE, Bulacan -- As expected, Filipinos who want to celebrate the New Year with a bang started flocking to this town that is widely considered as the fireworks capital of the Philippines.
As of Monday, fireworks such as sawa, kwitis, fountain and lusis are the bestsellers.
Sawa sells from P300 to P2,500, depending on the number of rounds; kwitis at P3 each; lusis from P20 to P25; and fountain from P20 to P25 each.
But firecracker vendors say they don't expect to earn much this year as rising commodity prices push consumers to prioritize food over other things.
Other merry-making instruments such as torotot are also available in Bocaue.
The price ranges from P50 to P150, depending on the size.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) placed five fire trucks in different areas in Bulacan since Sunday.
BFP put three fire trucks in Bocaue, and one each in Guguinto and Marilao. All fire trucks are parked in areas near firecracker stores.
Fire officers also held daily inspections to check if the stores have drums with water and sand. They have also posted no smoking banners to prevent firecracker related incidents.
Earlier this month, environmental group Ecowaste Coalition called for a total ban on the use of all kinds of firecrackers for minors.
The BFP supports this call as it even pushed for a total ban of firecrackers for all age groups.
Some firecracker vendors in Bocaue also agreed with the suggestion to ban firecrackers as these are dangerous to health and to nature.
Others oppose the proposal, saying this would mean an end to their source of livelihood. (Sunnex)