• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bacolod City has reported that at least 43 retailers of firecrackers have already submitted applications for permits to sell.
City Fire Marshal Supt. Jenny Mae Masip stated during a media briefing yesterday that all 43 applications are currently under assessment. The evaluation and validation processes aim to ensure that all accredited vendors adhere to safety guidelines set forth by authorities.
Vendors are permitted to set up stalls beside the Pope John Paul II Tower in Bredco, a designated area by the BFP, the same location designated last year.
“Once their application is approved and they receive their permit, they can begin selling,” Masip emphasized, stressing that “We anticipate that starting December 14, there will be limited products available, but from December 23 to 31, more firecrackers will be sold.”
To ensure safety, the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOCPPO) and the BFP Negros Occidental will implement a monitoring system to regulate the volume of gunpowder used in firecracker manufacturing.
Although there are no registered firecracker manufacturers in the province, authorities will intensify their monitoring at entry and exit points, particularly ports, to prevent the illegal importation of banned firecrackers.
The list of prohibited and allowed firecrackers is still unavailable as assessment is still underway.
In line with this, the BFP has launched Oplan Paalala and Oplan Iwas Paputok, initiatives aimed at reducing firecracker-related incidents during the peak of the holiday celebrations.
It is worth recalling that in 2024, four fire incidents triggered by firecracker explosions were recorded by the PNP, including two in Bacolod, one in Binalbagan, and one in Valladolid.
This year, one incident has already been documented in Binalbagan, where a fire broke out after firecrackers stored by a local businessman suddenly ignited.*
