Firecracker victims in Region I decreased by 25.5%

BY VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO

DAGUPAN CITY  - - The Department of Health in the Ilocos  reported a 25.5 percent decrease in firecracker-related victims during the 2015 revelry as compared to the previous year.

Regional Director  Myrna Cabotaje of DOH said the region listed some 280 victims from December 21, 2015  to January  5, 2016, a notable decrease from the 367 data in the same period last year.

“Generally, bumaba ang bilang  ng mga victims sa Region but of course, we will be happier kung wala ng biktima,” Cabotaje said during the KBP Forum held at the Philippine Information Agency on Thursday.

Out of the 280 victims, 59 percent  were listed in Pangasinan,  22 percent  in Ilocos Sur, 12 percent  in La Union and seven percent  in Ilocos Norte.

Cabotaje said the median age of the victims range from 10 to 14 years old where 110 out of 280 victims are in the said age range.

The youngest victim is eight years old with the oldest listed at 74 years old.

Piccolo remains the number one  culprit which was used by 89 people or 32 percent of the victims.

“At least six were amputated but we are just fortunate na walang namatay,” Cabotaje added.

In Pangasinan, Dr. Cielo Almoite of the Provincial Heath Office reported 209 cases of firecracker-related victims which is 22 percent lower than the same period last year of 256 cases.

Most commonly-affected age group in Pangasinan are those between five to nine years old which represent 25 percent of the cases . Majority of the cases were males with 173 cases or 82 percent, Almoite added.

“Of the number, 149 or 71 percent are active victims while 60 people or 29 percent are passive victims, meaning napadaan lang sila sa lugar na may paputok at hindi sila mismo ang nagpaputok,” she explained.

Pangasinan listed three victims of the stray bullets but the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office has yet to verify whether these were really victims of stray bullet or  were accidentally shot.

Meanwhile, Cabotaje said she stands with the DOH’s campaign to implement a total fIrecracker ban for the new year revelry to ensure everyone’s safety. (PIA-1, Pangasinan)