EcoWaste tells children not to buy harmful ‘piccolo’

Fireworks-related injury in the Philippines (Photo courtesy of Barako News and DOH)

MANILA — The EcoWaste Coalition reminded the children not to buy piccolo and other firecrackers with the gifts (money) they had received and will be receiving from their grandparents and relatives in the traditional holiday gift giving.

“To the kids, please don’t be tempted to buy piccolo and other firecrackers with your Christmas ‘aginaldo.’ Stay away from harm, save your money for school necessities, or use it to buy nutritious food,” said Ecowaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero.

“Piccolo has been the leading cause of firecracker-related injuries, especially among young children, for the past several years. We need to do more to beat this small but terrible piccolo preying on our playful children,” she added.

The group, which is campaigning for injury-free, climate-friendly and zero waste New Year’s celebrations, singled out “piccolo” after the Department of Health (DOH) reported that majority of the sustained various firecracker-linked injuries were due to piccolo.

Last Christmas season, during the period from December 12, 2013 to January 5, 2014, the DOH monitored a total of 997 cases of firecracker-related injuries, including 359 cases of piccolo-associated injuries, and 2 cases of firecracker ingestion.

The Coalition specifically pleaded for combined local government, police, barangay and citizen action to rid the market of the banned piccolo and protect the young and the vulnerable from being harmed.

“Proactive police action to search, cease and destroy piccolo being sold in the streets, markets and neighborhood stores and the subsequent prosecution of their pigheaded importers, distributors and vendors will bring the bloody piccolo threat to a halt,” she added.

“We need more ‘kapit-bisig’ involving all sectors to protect our children against peddlers of piccolo and other banned firecrackers,” she pointed out.

The EcoWaste Coalition likewise reminded concerned agencies to work double-time to implement Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, Series of 2014, issued on December 4, which seeks to coordinate actions of government agencies to enforce RA 7183 (“An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and Other Pyrotechnics).

The JMC, signed by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Health Acting Secretary Jannete Garin, also seeks to adopt advocacy campaigns and measures to prevent injuries, deaths and damage to properties caused by firecrackers among local government units, concerned departments, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bureau of Customs.

“With the New Year’s Eve just around the corner, we urge all concerned agencies to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities as provided for in the said JMC to minimize, if not eliminate, the health and safety hazards, injuries and deaths, and environmental pollution caused by firecracker use during the holidays,” Lucero said.

Last December 16, the EcoWaste Coalition joined forces with the DOH and other government agencies, the Miss Earth Foundation and the Fernando Ma. Guerrero Elementary School in Paco, Manila to launch this year’s “Iwas Paputoxic” campaign through a noise barrage simulating a festive welcome of the New Year using safe and eco-friendly noisemakers.