Few firecracker-related incidents spoil DILG's zero target for 2020

The Department of the Interior and Local Government said Saturday that there were few firecracker-related incidents reported during the holidays, a week prior to New Year's Day 2021.

Earlier, the DILG aimed to achieve a “zero firecracker-related” injury for the holidays. 

“Ang target po natin ay magkaroon tayo ng zero firecracker incidents. Ngunit meron na po tayong ilan na naitala as of today konti pa lang naman po ito at karamihan nasa probinsya,” DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said during the state-run PTV’s Laging Handa briefing.

“Konti lamang ang numero,” Malaya said. He did not elaborate.

Nevertheless, the DILG official was optimistic that  the agency’s target is achievable.

“Generally peaceful ang ating pagsalubong ng bagong taon wala tayong masyadong naging problema,” he said.

“Our target is really zero firecracker incidents. So sana tumulong po tayong lahat at  sana ‘wag gumamit ng illegal na fireworks,” he added.

Based on the data from the Philippine National Police, the DILG earlier said a total of 307 firecracker-related incidents across the country were recorded in January 2019. This was 67% lower compared to the 929 recorded incidents in 2016.

In 2018, there were 449 incidents while in 2017 there were only 65 incidents.

“With the cooperation ng lahat sa tingin ko makukuha natin ang ating target ngayong taon,” Malaya said. —LBG, GMA News