ROAD crashes remained the leading cause of holiday-related emergencies in Central Visayas, with 274 injuries recorded from Dec. 21, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026, according to the Department of Health (DOH) 7.
The agency also noted an eight percent decline in fireworks-related injuries, recording 73 cases from Dec. 21, 2025, to 6:00 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2026, down from 79 cases for the same period in 2024.
Most of the injuries were in Cebu Province (27 cases) and its urban centers namely Cebu City (20 cases), Lapu-Lapu City (16 cases), and Mandaue City (one case) based on figures from the region’s two sentinel and 26 non-sentinel hospitals. Bohol province logged a total of nine cases.
The DOH 7 said the figures might increase due to ongoing data reconciliation and further verification process.
Most injuries were linked to “kwitis,” unidentified fireworks, and “lantaka.”
In Cebu City Medical Center, minors accounted for the bulk of the fireworks victims, according to Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of Committee on Disaster Response. Most of the victims have already been discharged from the facility.
The DOH 7 urged residents to seek immediate medical attention in case of fireworks injury and avoid using illegal fireworks. The agency said devices should only be set off in designated areas.
There were no incidents of indiscriminate firing and cases of stray bullets reported. The Police Regional Office 7 attributed this to the strong police presence in the region.
Road accidents
Meanwhile, road crashes were more prevalent with 274 injuries recorded. Majority of the victims were drivers (169 cases), front or rear passengers (85), and pedestrians (20).
The injuries were nearly evenly split between collision-related incidents (139 cases) and non-collision crashes (135 cases), such as skidding or vehicle overturning.
Beyond injuries, DOH 7 also monitored chronic lifestyle-related disease emergencies, logging 38 cases, including two deaths.
The cases include the following: bronchial asthma (26 cases, all survived), acute stroke (nine cases, with one death), acute coronary syndrome (three cases, with one death).
The DOH 7 appealed to the public to prioritize safety and for motorists to avoid driving under the influence. The agency also urged patients with chronic conditions to stay compliant with medications and to seek early medical care. / EHP