BEFORE our officials in city governments move on with their other agenda, they should take a closer look at the post-mortem report from the Provincial Health Office, validated by police stations in the province about the number of persons hurt by fireworks-related injuries, the increasing volume and types of deadly firecrackers.

The report told of an increase in the number of cases, from eye injuries to skin burns to hearing difficulties suffered by the victims. The constant fear and trauma suffered by families of victims, should be enough reason for our city governments to permanently ban the manufacture and sale of fireworks. After all, the only sector benefitting from the use of more and deadlier firecrackers as these come, that have since evolved into a force explosion equaling that of grenades being used by the military in combat zones are the daring manufacturers and to a small extent the vendors.

Even the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) should need no further convincing about the need to ban fireworks initially in the four cities.  In fact, a mere expression of support to a ban to save lives and properties will help the city governments begin to process the pros and cons behind the ban.

The call for a public hearing by the SP will surely pick serious interests among the city government who may be reluctant to even raise the issue fearing some imagined backlash from their constituents.

To further understand the impact of a total ban, SP and/or the city governments should even consider inviting the mayors or city administrators of the Davao City and Quezon City to write their views of their respective ordinances banning fireworks and to help validate the benefits to their constituents and the limited range of opposition to their ban.

And, a ban will ultimately further underscore the threats to lives by indiscriminate firing of firearms by licensed firearm owners and will induce local councils to make it criminally punishable.

The ban saves not only resources of hospitals reserved for fireworks-related injuries but will also save families from unwarranted spending for the treatment of injured members of the families, whether as active or passive participants.

For indeed, if the governments of Davao City and Quezon City, and other major cities in the world can do it, nothing should stop Pangasinan’s four cities to declare their own ban.

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