MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 2 Jan) – The Provincial Health Office reported a total of five injuries due to firecrackers and other pyrotechnics in Bukidnon during the New Year’s Eve revelry.
Engr. Florissa Adviento, chief of the PHO’s environmental and occupational health services, said Wednesday the figure includes reports from the Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center, Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Kalilangan, San Fernando, and Malitbog and the Municipal Health Office of Pangantucan. She noted that so far the reports from Maramag and Valencia City, home of the biggest injuries in past revelries, have yet to be submitted.
Three of the cases were reported from Malaybalay City. Two of those injured were children, “KD” and “RMV”, both aged 9, who suffered finger burns due to “Picolo” and superficial skin burn due to pyrotechnic flame, respectively.
The Municipal Health Office of Pangantucan also reported that a 7-year-old boy was hit by blast burn due to an unidentified firecracker. No injuries were reported by the BPH in San Fernando and Malitbog.
Station Radyo Ukay reported two injuries in Valencia City as of Wednesday morning based on reports from private hospitals in the city.
Dr. Teresita Damasco, provincial health officer, said awareness of the public on the problem of firecrackers has improved in Bukidnon with most of the limited cases were only “minor injuries.” She added that it was a far cry from surgical operations they made in past revelries.
The publicity campaign of the Department of Health against firecrackers and other pyrotechnics, she said, helped educate the public.
The PHO also reported two injuries related to firecrackers but not during the Christmas and New Year revelries in Malaybalay City. The victims were an 8-year-old boy from Managok whose thumb was burned due to firecracker blast and a 6-year-old boy from Casisang, also hit by firecracker “Picolo.”
P03 Romando Sambile, firearms non-commissioned officer of the Bukidnon Provincial Police Office, said they defer to the health reports to identify injuries during the revelries because the wounded go to hospitals but no longer report to police. (Walter I. Balane / MindaNews)