Sellers bank on 'AlDub,' 'Kalyeserye' to boost fireworks sale

Wary of a possible slump in sales of fireworks because of the increase in prices, sellers have found a way to boost their sales — by naming their products AlDub, the phenomenal Kapuso love team of Maine "Yaya Dub" Mendoza and Alden Richards.

Aside from AlDub, some have also named their fireworks after the popular Eat Bulaga portion "Kalyeserye" and even AlDub's signature "pabebe wave," according to a live report by GMA News' Oscar Oida on Balitanghali.

Oida said sellers in Bocaue, Bulacan, blamed the increase in prices as the reason why sales have been slow so far, one week before the New Year.

Citing the sellers, Oida noted price increases in the following fireworks and firecrackers:

* "kwitis"/rocket (100 pieces) -- from P250 to P300-350;
* fountain -- from P25 to P35-40;
* "sawa" -- from P250 to P380-400.

The increase was due to rising prices of materials, the report said.

It added that because of this, some customers bought less fireworks than what they would normally purchase, or turn to other noise-making products like "torotot" or horns.

The sellers are hopeful that more customers will come to buy fireworks as the New Year nears.

'Illegal' vendors

Meanwhile, Oida quoted legitimate fireworks vendors in Bocaue as urging the Philippine National Police to go after vendors who pop up by the roadside during the holiday season.

The report added that the sellers who are considered legitimate are trying to protect the fireworks industry, especially because vendors selling along the roads are normally the suppliers of illegal fireworks that cause accidents.

Oida further quoted them as saying that they don't mind if authorities will be stricter in implementing the rules, as long as illegal vendors are caught and stopped.

PNP data

The report also said the PNP has deployed not only uniformed men but also undercover agents to monitor the activities of illegal vendors, knowing that many appear whenever they think there are no authorities around.

The PNP has launched its "Iwas Paputok/Disgrasya 2015" program, which runs from Dec. 16, 2015 to Jan. 5, 2016.

As of Christmas morning, the PNP has recorded a total of 23 incidents, majority of which are related to illegal possession, use, or sale of firecrackers.

Aside from 15 incidents under that category, they also monitored two injured due to firecrackers. No deaths have been recorded.

Moreover, they have noted three incidents of people or objects getting hit by a stray bullet, the latest of which happened last Tuesday in Barangay Gulod, Nova, Quezon City, when a stray bullet pierced through a roof of a house.

No one was reported injured or killed in the incident, where one piece of deformed slug of a still unknown caliber was recovered.

There are also so far three incidents of illegal discharge of firearms, where two people in separate incidents have been arrested. The third -- a man named Marianito Alob -- is still at large.

Alob hit a man on the left leg and right arm, as well as a woman on the right leg, in an incident last Tuesday in Barangay Maggalang Kiling, Sariaya, Quezon Province.

Investigation on the incident is ongoing. - Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KBK, GMA News