By
Jocelyn P. Alvarez
ZAMBOANGA CITY, 14 Nov. (PIA) - - to
protect the public from possible danger as a result of the indiscriminate use
of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices , the city government, through an
executive order issued recently by Mayor Celso Lobregat, regulates its sale and
use especially now that Christmas season is nearing .
“Mayor Celso Lobregat recently issued
executive order (EO) 481-2012 regulating, controlling and limiting the pyrotechnics
allowed to be used, sold and distributed in the city by licensed dealers, “
informed City Information Officer (IO) Sheila Covarrubias in a press statement.
Covarrubias said the executive order “strictly
prohibits the use, sale and distribution of firecrackers, such as but not
limited to piccolo, triangulo, super lolo, watusi, el Diablo, Judah’s belt and
whistle devise among others.”
“Only sparklers, luces, fountain, jumbo
regular and special, mabuhay, Roman candle, trompillo, airwolf, butterfly, all
kinds of pyrotechnics (pailaw), baby rocket, sky rocket (kwitis) and other
types equivalent to the foregoing are allowed to be used, sold and or
distributed in the city by duly licensed dealers,” the lady IO enumerated.
Moreover, the EO prohibits licensed dealers
from keeping in their stores quantities of pyrotechnic devices in excess of combined
total of 50 kilograms but they can store the rest of their stock in the
warehouse.
Covarrubias also emphasized that “Importation
of finished pyrotechnic devices is likewise prohibited.”
To make sure that the EO is strictly
implemented, concerned law enforcement agencies “will regularly monitor and
determine the quantities and kinds of pyrotechnic devices held in stock by or
in the possession of every licensed distributor or dealer,” Covarrubias held.
she emphasized "for violators of the said EO, a fine of not less than P20,000 nor more than P30,000
will be imposed or imprisonment of not less than 6 months nor more than one
year or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court to
include the revocation and or cancellation of the business permits. (JPA/PIA9)