The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded a total of 163 firecracker-related injuries as of 6 a.m. on Monday, December 30.
Interviewed during Dos Por Dos on Tuesday, DOH spokesperson Asec. Albert Domingo said that the current number was 4 percent higher compared to 2023 when 113 cases were recorded on the same day.
The DOH's monitoring runs from December 21 to January 6 across 62 sentinel sites.
According to the report, 135 of the firecracker-related victims were aged 19 years old or younger. In total, 148 of the victims were male, while 15 were female.
Meanwhile, 118 or 72 percent of the cases were caused by illegal firecrackers such as the "boga," 5-star, and piccolo. Of these, 106 or 65 percent of the cases involved active users of firecrackers.
Domingo noted that the most dangerous firecracker causing injuries to patients was "boga."
"Kapag tiningnan natin yung daily statistics, puwede nating sabihin after December 25, pumapasok tayo doon sa range ng pinakabilang kumpara sa nakaraang mga taon, hindi masyadong mataas. Pero nagtaka kami noong December 22, 24, at saka 25, tumaas. Dumami yung kaso natin kumpara sa nakaraang taon kasi 'yung boga."
Domingo said that one of the factors behind the rise in numbers was the availability of tutorials on making "boga" that can be found online.
Following boga in the list of firecrackers causing injuries were fivestar, pikolo, unknown (hindi naalala ng pasyente), and kwitis, although the latter is legal.
"Mas maganda na magtorotot na lang or 'yung mga alternative. Huwag na o tayong magpaputok," said Domingo.
Meanwhile, the DOH expressed concern about online platforms where firecrackers are widely sold or secretly distributed. These concerns must be immediately addressed, according to Domingo.
"Baka at least for the next few years or the next days mas active dapat 'yung involvement nung mga nasa social media companies like 'yung mga Meta, Google, pati yung Shopee, Lazada, kasi sa kanila lumalabas e."
The health agency is currently on "code white," indicating that their equipment is fully prepared.
