DOH: Leyte boy, Manila teen among 1st fireworks 'victims' in 2012 holiday season

An 11-year-old boy from Leyte province and an 18-year-old girl in Manila were among the first victims of fireworks in the 2012 holiday season, the Health Department said Saturday.   National Epidemiology Center head Enrique Tayag said these two fireworks-related injuries both involved eye injuries.   Both occurred on Friday, the first day of the DOH's monitoring program "Oplan Iwas Paputok," he said on his Twitter account.   "Two cases of firework-related injuries for December 21. This was four less than last year. Both cases had eye injuries," he said.   He said the 11-year-old boy from Leyte used an unknown firecracker and sustained a corneal abrasion in both eyes. A separate report on Visayas-based Bombo Radyo described the boy as a resident of Barangay Santo Niño in Tanauan, Leyte. The Bombo Radyo report cited initial information the boy had used a "boga," an improvised cannon made from PVC pipes. While the improvised cannon would make a loud noise, it posed a danger to the health of those using it. The boga had been outlawed several years ago. On the other hand, the 18-year-old girl had irritation conjunctivitis in the left eye during the fireworks display of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, he added. Philippine health officials have been discouraging the public against the use of fireworks during the holidays, citing health risks and possible pollution of the environment. — LBG, GMA News