Fighting for survival

Rainclouds and low temperatures made the smoke linger at ground level for some time after midnight yesterday when all the fireworks had been set off. In the headlights of the few vehicles on the streets, you could see the smog so dense it was like a whiteout; visibility was just about 50 meters.

Dogs hid under tables or buried their heads in their pillows to avoid fireworks smoke and the deafening noise.

Pollution is just one of the reasons cited by those campaigning against the use of firecrackers during the holiday celebrations. From the noise and fireworks the other night I think the campaign has a long way to go.

But judging from the decline, even if gradual, in the number of firecracker-related injuries every year, it seems the Department of Health (DOH) has been doing a good job in its “Iwas Paputok” campaign.

I noticed though that other agencies including the police used “Ingat Paputok” rather than the DOH slogan. And judging from the latest revelry, there were still a lot of people who opted for the second admonition.

Returning home from work on New Year’s Eve, I enjoyed traffic-free roads, except in two areas: provincial bus depots, and spots where vendors sold round fruits and pyrotechnics.

Most of the fireworks stalls displayed what I was told were imported goods, which seemed to be the most popular items. If there were banned local merchandise such as the giant firecrackers called “Goodbye Philippines” and “Crying Bading,” these must have been kept hidden, except along the sidewalks of Divisoria, Quiapo and Sta. Cruz in Manila.

A leader of the local fireworks industry estimated that only 20 percent of the products in the market nationwide are supplied by legitimate, licensed manufacturers. Fifty percent of the goods are imports mostly from Taiwan and China while the rest come from local mom-and-pop backyard operations.

He didn’t say it, but we can surmise that these makeshift factories are largely unregulated and tend to be the producers of those banned (but still popular) powerful firecrackers such as pla-pla and “Osama bin Laden.”

 We can also surmise that these are the manufacturers who employ underage workers and give them no protection from the toxic, combustible substances that they handle. Every year we see images of these boys, their faces and half-naked bodies covered with black powder as they work in enclosures with only GI roofing, which can get scorching hot in the sun.

The fireworks industry leader gave the estimates to argue that there are legitimate local players who follow product safety standards and other rules set under Republic Act 7183, passed in 1992 to regulate the business. The law-abiding players argue that they should not be blamed for the injuries every New Year’s Eve from handling fireworks, which can be traced mostly to banned products such as the popular “piccolo.”

The impunity is evident on both the supply and demand sides. There won’t be piccolo and Goodbye Philippines if there aren’t enough buyers. There are still many Pinoys who like to greet the New Year with the loudest bang, even if the explosions can be so powerful they knock out Christmas lights nearby and leave shallow craters on the pavement.

As in most other laws in this country, the impunity in violating RA 7183 has to be due to failure of enforcement. Has anyone ever been convicted of violating RA 7183? The law imposes penalties of six months to a year in prison, fines ranging from P20,000 to P30,000, or both jail time and fine.

The penalties may seem light but can be disruptive in anybody’s life, if the law is enforced. Also, a conviction or even arrest still means a criminal record that no person can possibly want (except perhaps the VIP inmates at the New Bilibid Prison).

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Then there are the revelers themselves. Local manufacturers point out that buyers should know enough to be careful in handling any product that is meant to explode in fiery lights and noise. These items can be like knives, the producers argue; they’re fun, they’re spectacular to watch, but careless handling can lead to injuries.

For some revelers, however, the risks to personal safety probably add to the thrill of lighting fireworks. I saw a photo the other day, posted online, of a guy grinning as he posed with a “5-star” firecracker stuck in his butt. It was funny all right, but I couldn’t help remembering the man who also playfully wrapped a “Judas belt” around his waist, like a real belt. Somehow the belt got lit and exploded, killing the man. This was some years ago and I haven’t heard of a similar accident since, so perhaps we’re capable of learning a lesson.

Still, in my part of town there was a lot of noise last New Year’s Eve, with the unmistakable deafening blast of powerful (and banned) firecrackers. It must be a cultural thing: the Spaniards fight and run with bulls; Scandinavians jump naked into freezing waters; we set off firecrackers with wild abandon. This New Year’s Eve the explosions started rather early. Perhaps only financial capabilities limited the revelry.

If it’s any comfort to those who think “Iwas Paputok” goes against Philippine tradition, the Czechs told me that in their country, fireworks are also set off in individual households during New Year’s Eve.

Even with tradition surviving, those photos of bloodied, mangled fingers, injured eyes and burned faces have pulled down sales of firecrackers, local manufacturers lament. If they want to survive, they will have to reinvent their businesses.

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The demand is there: during the Christmas rush, imported fireworks seemed to be selling briskly at the shopping malls. And there were long lines of cars around fireworks stalls put up along certain roads and in several gated villages shortly before New Year’s Eve. The most popular products were not firecrackers but fireworks that promised the most brilliant and innovative displays.

Industry players say better regulation can make fireworks a major revenue earner for the government. The United States and several European countries are among the biggest consumers of fireworks, while China, which invented the stuff, accounts for about 90 percent of global production.

Even China, however, is tightening regulation of the manufacture and use of firecrackers, amid accidents and the threat of more smog in already heavily polluted cities.

The Philippines is well placed to enter the export market. Among international pyrotechnics enthusiasts, Manila is known for hosting the World Pyro Olympics / International Pyromusical Olympics since 2005.

Going global, however, will require better regulation and enforcement of product safety and quality standards. And full compliance by an endangered industry.