Nine-year-old, latest victim of illegal 'piccolo' firecracker

The inevitable rise in the number of firecracker-related casualties during the Christmas-New Year holidays has started, with the Health Department recording a nine-year-old boy as the latest injured. Jeric Paul Suarez from Tondo, Manila, was the seventh victim of the firecracker known as “piccolo” since December 21, according to DOH records. "Hindi na po [ako magpapaputok]. Delikado," Suarez said timidly in a report on GMA 7's “24 Oras”. The DOH has so far recorded 13 cases of firecracker-related injuries, an increase from the nine cases recorded in the same period last year. Also, according to the DOH's records, 27 percent of all firecracker-related injuries in 2012 came from piccolos. Despite its dangerous record, it remains popular being the firecracker of choice in the face of a general decrease in the use of fireworks in the country. Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag hopes that the recent spate of natural disasters - typhoon Yolanda, the Cebu-Bohol earthquake - will discourage people from spending on fireworks. "Dahil dun sa sunod-sunod na unos natin, maraming nagsabi na parang toned down ang pag-celebrate natin ng pasko. Subalit nagkaroon ng parang turning point nitong weekend. Sumigla ang pamimili ng mga tao," said a dismayed Tayag. The undersecretary is thus fully supportive of Davao City's anti-fireworks policy, which bans both legal and illegal fireworks. "Mga ilegal katulad ng piccolo, fly-by-night, 'di maganda ang kaledad, malamang sa hindi, disgrasya resulta niyan," said Tayag. — Rie Takumi/DVM, GMA News