POLICE are stepping up monitoring of fireworks vendors as the Christmas holidays approach, warning that only 18 retailers have been authorized to sell in the city.
Police Lt. Col. Jose Losbaños, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) spokesperson, said the approved vendors are those officially registered with the Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU) 7. All authorized sales must be conducted within a single designated zone located at the South Coastal Road.
Authorities clarified that selling fireworks on city sidewalks or outside the designated area is strictly prohibited. CCPO personnel have begun street patrols to identify and warn unauthorized vendors.
“If anyone sells without a permit from RCSU7 and the Cebu City government, their merchandise will be confiscated,” Losbaños said in Cebuano.
Officers have been instructed to seize the products of any vendor who refuses to comply with the regulations. The move is part of the city’s safety campaign to prevent fire-related incidents during the holiday season. / AYB