THE Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) has reported 117 fireworks-related injuries in the region from Dec. 21, 2025 to Jan. 6, 2026, higher than last year’s count.
Cebu Province and Cebu City recorded the most cases, while road crash injuries during the holidays also increased.
The figures were taken from DOH’s two sentinel and 38 non-sentinel hospitals in the region.
Cebu Province topped the list with 49 cases, followed by Cebu City with 28 cases, Bohol Province with 21 cases, Lapu-Lapu City with 18 cases, and Mandaue City with one case.
Most injuries were linked to unidentified fireworks, “kwitis” (mini skyrocket), and whistle bombs.
DOH 7 said there were no reported cases of fireworks ingestion or stray bullet injuries.
In last year’s monitoring, DOH 7 recorded 93 cases from Dec. 21, 2024 to Jan. 2, 2025, of firework-related injuries, and one case of stray bullet injury.
Meanwhile, road crash injuries during the yuletide season rose to 449 cases, according to DOH 7’s data from Dec. 21, 2025, to Jan. 6, 2026.
The injuries were split between collision-related incidents (247 cases) and non-collision crashes (202 cases).
The DOH 7 also said chronic lifestyle-related disease emergencies increased to 57 cases involving bronchial asthma, acute stroke, and acute coronary syndrome. At least five deaths were recorded.
Across the Philippines, DOH Central Office recorded a total of 720 cases from Dec. 21, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026, lower than the 834 cases during the same monitoring period last year. This represents a 14 percent drop in fireworks-related injuries nationwide during the recent holiday season, based on surveillance data from 62 sentinel hospitals.
Of the total cases, 377 victims were aged 19 years and below, accounting for 52 percent, whilee those aged 20 years and above comprised the remaining 48 percent..
Road crash injuries
nationwide reached 1,384, up from 690 cases last year—a 101 percent increase. / EHP