LESSER EXPLOSIONS NOW THAN BEFORE

THIRTY-four people were injured due to firecracker explosions from December 31, 2025 to January 2, 2026,  according to records from the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City, as the Philippine National Police reported peaceful celebrations of the New Year across the province, with no untoward incident recorded whatsoever.

Thankfully, none of the injured were residents of Dagupan, achieving the city’s ambitious goal of zero casualties during the New Year celebrations for the first time in many years.

The records indicate that two people were admitted to R1MC on December 31, an additional 30 on January 1, and two on January 2, all suffering from firecracker-related injuries. One of the victims lost a finger, and another a toe, on January 1, while eight others sustained eye injuries requiring treatment at R1MC. Two other victims were received by R1MC on January 2, and sadly, one of them needed amputation.

The injured parties hailed from various towns in Pangasinan, with no incidents involving Dagupan residents.

This data stems from the Oplan: Iwas Paputok campaign, a collaborative effort of the Department of Health, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and local government units.

R1MC implemented a Code White from December 31 to January 4, preparing for a potential influx of victims due to firecracker incidents. This year, however, a smaller number of patients were treated compared to previous years.

The decrease in injuries has been attributed to the reduced number of explosions heard, indicating that many people complied with local government and police appeals to refrain from using firecrackers, opting instead for alternative noise-makers like plastic trumpets. There were also a few firecracker explosions reported nationwide, resulting in fewer firecracker-related injuries.

Mayor Belen Fernandez of Dagupan City set a zero-casualty goal for the New Year and directed the city’s 31 barangay captains to strictly monitor their communities to prevent the use of illegal firecrackers, allowing only authorized ones.

Fernandez reinforced the zero-casualty initiative following a tragic Christmas Day explosion in Barangay Bacayao Norte, which led to two fatalities and eight injuries, as well as a fireworks factory explosion in Barangay Tebeng last November that claimed one life and injured four others.

In the wake of these events, firecracker manufacturers in Dagupan have come under increased surveillance, with the Dagupan City Police Office conducting house-to-house inspections to ensure no illegal fireworks factories remain operational in the area. (Leonrdo Micua)