Mayor’s permit issued to 45 firecracker vendors

NAGA CITY --- The City Mayor’s Office has issued special mayor’s permits to some 45 pyrotechnics and firecrackers vendors here to sell their products during the Christmas season on a limited number of days basis.

Ramon Florendo, head of the Market Enterprise and Promotion Office (MEPO) of the Naga City government said the issuance of permits was undertaken after a series of meetings with the vendors in which both parties have agreed on the dates as to when fireworks selling will begin and end.

He said selling of the products will only be allowed from December 23-24 and on December 29 to 31, this year. The designated selling areas will be near the Naga river and the Naga City People’s Mall.

Florendo said that a monitoring body composed of representatives from the city government, Naga City Police Office, and the Bureau of Fire Protection will be conducting a 24/7 round-the-clock check to ensure that government regulations on fireworks selling is observed.

As of press time, the Task Force is coordinating with the Punong Barangays for the establishment of the community fireworks display areas in the city’s 27 villages.

In December 2017, President Duterte signed Executive Order 28, which confines the use of firecrackers to community fireworks displays under the supervision of a trained person licensed by the Philippine National Police to lessen the risk of injuries.