(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would reconsider his earlier decision for a total ban on fireworks, for the sake of the livelihood of the residents of Bocaue who are in the fireworks industry.
Duterte in his address to the nation late Monday night, Jan. 4, said that he would only allow Bocaue residents to produce fireworks, provided they would only sell these to local government units.
Private individuals will no longer be allowed to use fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
“Ngayon, ganito na lang, so as not to deprive the Bocaue residents of their livelihood, I’ll only allow firecrackers and everything to be done by government,” the President said.
“And it would be the mayor himself and the chief of police who should do this. Iyang fireworks sa community para makita ng mga tao with all the safe distances, lahat na, social distancing doon sa pulbura, sa putukan,” he said.
President Duterte said that the community fireworks display will allow more people to get to see spectacular fireworks, but only from a distance.
He explained that if local governments do not want a total ban on fireworks, then there should be restrictions on the use of fireworks.
“It behooves on the mayor to see to it that everything or everybody and everything is in place and everybody is safe. Diyan lang ako papayag, only government,” he said.
President Duterte said that this is the compromise that he could offer for the Bocaue residents who earn a living through the production of fireworks.
He said that through such a system, the Bocaue fireworks industry could even earn more since their customers are the various local government units in the country.
“Ngayon, ‘yung mga taga-Bocaue, kung makapagbili kayo nang marami doon sa iba’t ibang probinsiya at siyudad and everybody would be interested really because that is what the community wants, a boisterous and, you know, ‘yung gusto nang putuk-putukan, I will only allow it when it is done by government. Iyon na lang ang ano ko. Mag-ano tayo, mag-compromise tayo,” Duterte explained.
President Duterte last year said he is considering a total ban on firecrackers and fireworks this 2021 since fireworks and fumes are considered dangerous to health, and accidents involving have also led to injuries and even deaths. He earlier said that it would be better if the total ban on fireworks which is already being implemented in his hometown in Davao would also be implemented nationwide.
(Eagle News Service)