Fireworks-related injuries across the country have climbed to 655 cases, with children and adolescents aged 19 and below accounting for more than half of the victims, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Saturday, Jan. 3.
DOH Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) Director Tina Marasigan confirmed that 351 of the cases involved minors, underscoring the vulnerability of young people during holiday celebrations.
“Mahigit kalahati or 351 po rito ay kabataang edad 19 years old pababa,” she said.
She noted that all reported cases sustained varying degrees of burns and wounds affecting different parts of the body.
According to Marasigan, 19 fireworks-related injury cases resulted in finger or hand amputations, 11 of which involved youth aged 19 and below.
“Kaugnay nito, 19 po sa mga biktima ang naputulan ng daliri o kamay sa iba’t ibang uri ng paputok—labing-isa ay menor de edad,” she said.
The DOH official noted that the youngest victim was a four-year-old who lost four fingers after being hit by an unidentified type of firecracker.
“Isang four years old naman pong ang pinakabata na naputulan ng apat na daliri sa kanyang kamay matapos na masabugan ng hindi pa matukoy na uri ng paputok,” said Marasigan.
Per the DOH, unidentified fireworks remained the leading cause of injuries, followed by “kwitis” and “5-star” firecracker.
“Mga hindi matukoy na paputok ang pangunahing sanhi ng pinsala, na sinundan po ng ligal na kwitis, at iligal na 5-star,” she said.
While the agency observed a 20 percent decline in cases compared with last year, the DOH said the injuries, particularly those involving children, remain deeply troubling.
“Naobserbahan ng kagawaran ang 20 percent na pagbaba ng kaso, ikinalulungkot pa rin ng DOH ang sinapit ng mga nagpaputok at aksidenteng nasabugan ng firecrackers,” Marasigan said. (Jel Santos)
