By Jocelyn P. Alvarez
ZAMBOANGA CITY -
Zamboangueños celebrated the New Year
peacefully and “quietly” with the absence of the usual head banging and noisy
blasting of firecrackers and pyrotechnics following the city government’s
vigorous campaign against their sale and use during the yuletide season.
The “no sale
and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics” policy was based on Executive Order No. 23 which mandates
temporary suspension, display and use as well as the sale and distribution for
use of the firecrackers and pyrotechnics in the city.
City
Information Officer Sheila Covarrubias said “the new year revelry in the city
was generally peaceful. Hospitals recorded zero firecrackers and stray bullet
injuries.”
Covarrubias said
that Mayor Beng Climaco had lauded the FESAGS, PNP, AFP and LGU personnel for
the strict enforcement of firecracker ban in the city.
Covarrubias
informed that violators would be apprehended and penalized.
“The unity of
Zamboangueño revellers of the New Year is a positive sign of cooperation,”
Mayor Climaco said.
“If we were
successful in zero-casualty as law abiding citizens then we can start obeying
traffic rules to set order and safety in the streets in 2014,” Climaco added.
Zamboangueños
used alternative means in making noise during the New Year celebration such as
banging of kitchen utensils, blowing of
horns or “torotot”, sounding on
vehicles and vehicle alarms, banging of gates and several others. (PIA9)