Over 10,000 people attend New Year's countdown in Quezon Memorial Circle to welcome 2023

Over 10,000 people visited the Quezon Memorial Circle and attended the New Year's countdown to ring in 2023.

As seen in Jonathan Andal's report on "24 Oras," Sunday, Quezon City residents and people from as far as Bulacan enjoyed the 10-minute fireworks display.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the aim of the event is to encourage Quezon City residents not to use firecrackers in their homes.

"'Yung initial reports galing sa ating mga law enforcement teams, halos walang napaputok ngayong taon sa iba't ibang mga areas na pinaikutan ko," she said.

"Nagpapasalamat ako at nakinig ang mga mamamayan sa apela ko na wag na magpaputok sa kani-kanilang mga tahanan at sa halip pumunta na lang sa mga public fireworks display areas natin."

("The initial reports from our law enforcement teams indicate that there's almost no one who used firecrackers this year in the areas I had monitored. I thank the residents from listening to my appeal to avoid using firecrackers in their homes and instead go to our public fireworks display areas.")

According to the Department of Health, 85 cases of fireworks-related injuries were recorded during the celebration of the New Year.

The Quezon City local government is planning to make the annual New Year's countdown a tradition and a tourist attraction.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News