LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte (PIA) – The Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) destroyed confiscated and surrendered illegal firecrackers and improvised cannons, locally known as boga, following the New Year festivities on Jan. 3 at the Camp Valentin S. Juan in Laoag City.
The firecrackers were safely submerged in water, while the bogas were crushed using a drum roller, ensuring they were completely rendered unusable and incapable of posing any further danger.
A boga is an improvised cannon typically made from bamboo or PVC pipes, fueled by denatured alcohol and ignited with a lighter to produce a loud booming sound. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), this noisemaker is especially popular among young people due to its simple, do-it-yourself design.
According to the INPPO report, authorities seized a total of 332 improvised cannons valued at P31,490 and 34 pieces of prohibited firecrackers worth P40,500.
The confiscated firecrackers included:
- 12 assorted fountains
- 10 bundles of Dream Light
- 7 Legendary Firework Phantoms
- 4 unidentified firecrackers with Chinese characters on the packaging
- 1 round of Judas Belt
INPPO Provincial Director, PCOL Frederick Obar clarified that no legal cases have been filed against individuals caught in possession of the prohibited items.
“So far, we have not filed any case because most of the owners were minors and some of it were surrendered. As to those selling, usually we confiscate the prohibited items they sell,” Obar said.
Section 5 of Executive Order No. 28, titled “Providing for the Regulation and Control of the Use of Firecrackers and Other Pyrotechnic Devices,” designates the Philippine National Police (PNP), in coordination with relevant agencies and local government units (LGUs), as the primary authority responsible for enforcing Republic Act No. 7183, which regulates the sale, manufacture, distribution, and use of firecrackers in the country.
This section also mandates the PNP to conduct inspections, confiscate, and destroy prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded 32 firework-related injuries (FWRI) as of 3:00 PM on Jan. 6.
Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Rickson Balalio reported that most injuries were lacerated wounds and minor burns, with no cases requiring amputation.
“Majority of the causes of injury are the firecrackers. For injuries caused by boga, it’s usually because of the denatured alcohol, but we also saw injuries from kwitis, luses, and bombshell. Those are the common causes of injuries this year,” Balalio added.
The province also recorded zero mortality due to firecrackers.
Obar meanwhile credited the coordination of the PHO, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for their coordinated efforts in ensuring a relatively safe celebration of the New Year.
“Let us go forward and strengthen our cooperation, our collaboration. No matter what uniform we wear, we need to work together because in unity, there is strength,” he added.
The destruction of illegal firecrackers and boga, combined with effective inter-agency collaboration, underscores INPPO’s commitment to maintaining safety and preventing firework-related incidents in the community. (CCMT/EJFG, PIA Ilocos Norte)
