Malacanang saddened over increase in firecracker casualties
Malacañang expressed sadness over the increase in the number of victims, particularly young children, who were hurt in welcoming the New Year due to the proliferation of firecrackers.
In an interview over government-run radio station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang lamented that the government’s advice to the Filipino people against using firecrackers went unheed.
Earlier, President Benigno S. Aquino III made a call for parents to disallow their children from using firecrackers to prevent any accident from happening.
“Inaasahan natin na yung mga panawagan ni Pangulo na ganun, he’s just calling on the people to do what is good for themselves. So, I guess, we can say na nakakalungkot na hindi nasunod ito noong nakaraang New Year,” Carandang said.
In its report, the Department of Health said that there was a total of 546 injuries reported from December 21 to 31 last year, an increase of 34 (or seven percent) more compared to the same period in 2009.
Of this number, 518 (95 percent) were due to firework injuries, 20 (four percent) to stray bullets and 8 (one percent) to firework ingestion/poisoning.
Among those who sustained firework injuries, 408 (79 percent) were males whose ages ranged from one year to 74 years (median: 14 years).
The top three regions with the most number of injuries are the National Capital Region (301 cases or 58 percent), Ilocos region (35 cases or seven percent) and Western Visayas (29 cases or six percent).
The DOH said that the increase in the number of injuries was “probably due to the proliferation of cheap, low quality and prohibited fireworks that injured a bigger number of children.” (PCOO)
Aquino to convene economic team to study toll and fare increases
President Benigno S. Aquino III will convene the government’s economic team to study possible measures that could lessen the burden of the looming public transport fare hike and toll fee increase which was implemented on January 1 and its effects on the people.
In an interview over government-run radio station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang said that the government has been exhausting all efforts to come up with possible means of easing the effects of the looming transport fare and toll fee hikes on the people.
“One of the major concerns of the government is the looming public transport fare hike and the increase in toll fees, that is why we are studying possible measures within the process of the law on how to lessen its effects on the ordinary consumers,” Carandang said.
Carandang stressed that the economic team, composed of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo and Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, is aware of the said fare and toll increase. He added that they are already studying ways to help lessen its effects on the public.
Higher toll rates took effect last Saturday (Jan. 1) at the 85-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), the 94.5-kilometer Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), and the 8.5-kilometer Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEx).
Meanwhile, bus companies operating between Metro Manila and South Luzon provinces are pushing for 30 to 50 centavos per kilometer hike in fares, citing the 250 percent increase in toll fees as well as the steady climb in oil prices. (PCOO)
