On Christmas Day, Pinoys visit Bocaue to buy fireworks – even at higher prices

Prices of fireworks have increased since last year but this did not stop Filipinos visiting Bocaue in Bulacan – the country’s fireworks capital – from buying fireworks on Christmas Day.

According to Jonathan Andal’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, prices of popular pyrotechnics like luces, kuwitis, and sawa went up since last year.

Ten pieces of luces used to cost P25 to P30 in 2024, but now fetch a price of P40 to P50. Meanwhile, the price for 100 pieces of kuwitis was between P500 to P600 last year, but now cost P1,000 to P1,500.

A 1,000-round sawa used to cost P500 to P600 in 2024, but now cost P1,000 to P1,500.

On Thursday, buyers visited the fireworks stalls in Bocaue to buy pyrotechnics ahead of the New Year, even if it meant spending more.

A male buyer said he used to be able to buy two sacks of fireworks for P5,000, but he now spent P10,000 for this year’s haul. Another female buyer was attempting to haggle for at least half of the cost.  

Katherine Mendoza, an owner of a fireworks stall in Bocaue, said buyers are surprised by the high prices of fireworks. She said prices go up day by day since stocks are running out.

The recent typhoons and the increase in the prices of chemicals also resulted in the lower production of fireworks this year.

“Dati kasi, last year, kaya pa nila mag-produce until kahit ngayong December. Continuous ‘yung production. Pero ngayon kasi kahit umorder kami sa kanila, sila na ‘yung talagang no stock na,” Mendoza said.

(Last year, they can still produce until December. The production was continuous. But now, even if we order from them, they would tell us that there’s no stock.)

The Philippine Pyrotechnics Manufacturers and Dealers Association Inc. (PPMDAI) called on the government to go after unlicensed sellers of fireworks that affect the fireworks industry.

“’Yung Divisoria area, I don’t know if they have licenses to sell. So, ‘yun, apektado rin po kami doon. Kasi imbes na pupunta dito sa mga legit na may physical stores, some would go there. Eh wala naman pong mga lisensya. Sana po, totoong higpitan sa lahat ng mga tindahan,” Lea Alapide, president of the PPMDAI.

(I don’t know if they have licenses to sell in the Divisoria area. So we’re also affected by that. Instead of going here, where there are legit physical stores, some would go there. But they don’t have licenses. We hope that they would be strict on all dealers.)

In San Rafael, Bulacan, a stall had a fake fireworks display that read “good bye, flood control.” The report said the fake display was only meant to warn against buying illegal firecrackers, like watusi, pla-pla, piccolo, five star, and the new dart bomb that explodes upon hitting the ground.

Police warned that selling firecrackers online is illegal and is punishable with a P30,000 fine and up to a year in prison. — JMA, GMA Integrated News