Valenzuela prohibits the use and sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnics before the New Year

MANILA – Residents of the city of Valenzuela will not be allowed to light firecrackers and display fireworks, as well as buy and sell them, by order of the local government, Mayor Rex Gatchalian said Friday.

In an ANC interview, Gatchalian said that “any pyrotechnics by nature is prohibited, from selling to using and even making public displays” in the city.

“We canceled it because we believe that we want to give our front-line doctors enough space to deal with the COVID situation. We know there is an imminent increase and we do not want to exhaust them. We want them to focus on COVID and that is their request,” he said.

The ban also aims to discourage people from converging to avoid the risk of COVID-19 transmission caused, the mayor said.

The city’s Christmas traditions, such as the lighting of its official Christmas tree and food festivals, did not happen this year due to the dangers posed by the pandemic, he said.

“If we did that for Christmas, we could do it all for the New Year. We have been relatively successful in avoiding convergence,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said most of his fellow Metro Manila mayors “want the same thing” for the New Year.

Violators of the prohibition in the city will be punished with a fine of 5,000 pesos and can be imprisoned if they are detected with the same infraction.

“Our campaign would always be, it would be more practical. Don’t spend money on something that will burn in a couple of minutes. Just spend it wisely. Buy food for the family so everyone can make a salo-salo,” he said. .

“Not only are there financial implications to buying fireworks that burn in a couple of seconds. But there are inherent risks every time you light something, whether it’s inhaling toxic fumes, if it explodes in your hand.”

“In short, it’s always safer to stay home, celebrate with loved ones, buy a really nice dinner. Economically, people will have to prioritize the upcoming New Year, so it might as well start on New Years Eve,” said. said.

The ban comes as the Philippines’ COVID-19 cases soared to 467,601 on Friday. Of the total infections, 9,062 died while another 430,791 recovered.

A total of 27,748 cases are still active or in treatment, the Health Department said.