[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’PLAZAS OFF-LIMITS TO ‘CRACKERS?
Arevalo as sole city firecrackers zone pushed ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) wants all public plazas in this city off-limits to vendors selling firecrackers this holiday season.
So where will people buy firecrackers they traditionally set-off to welcome the New Year?
City Fire Marshal Jerry Candido proposed that the selling be done only in one area – Arevalo district, and specifically along the long stretch of the circumferential road in Barangay San Jose.
Arevalo is considered the “firecrackers capital” of Iloilo. It is where most of the local firecracker manufacturers are based.
According to Candido, the circumferential road in Barangay San Jose is an open space far from residences and business establishments, thus it is very safe for firecracker selling.
For decades, the city government has been allowing firecracker vendors to sell in the public plazas of Arevalo, Molo, City Proper, La Paz, Jaro, and Mandurriao albeit with stringent safety requirements.
This time, however, the BFP wants an arrangement that is more safe to the public.
“Our plazas should not be used for selling or retailing firecrackers kay delikado gid ina ya (because these are dangerous materials),” said Candido.
He recalled an incident at the public plaza of Jaro a few years back. Fire hit one firecracker stall and this spread to other stalls on New Year’s eve.
Candido said he already sent his proposal to Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
“Many people go to or pass by public plazas. Bisan ano mo ka butang ‘No Smoking’ signage, may malabay gid na da ya nga ma-smoke,” said Candido.
The city has an ordinance banning smoking in all public places and conveyances.
“Ang spark nga gina-emit sang mga tambutso sang jeep may also cause fire in firecracker stalls,” Candido added.
The area he has proposed – along the circumferential road in Barangay San Jose – can accommodate as many as 300 firecracker stalls, said Candido, so no firecracker vendors will be displaced.
“Indi madula ang means of livelihood nila but at the same time indi man naton ma-compromise ang public safety,” said Candido.
The city government acknowledged BFP’s concern, said City Administrator Hernando Galvez. He discussed this with city BFP officials and concerned city government department heads yesterday afternoon.
Galvez also said the city government will be taking into consideration the ordinance regulating the sale of firecrackers as well as national laws about this.
Regarding a possible firecrackers ban, Galvez said the city government could not just prohibit a practice that the national law itself allows or regulates.
“We will base our actions on existing national and local laws.
Through an executive order December last year, Mabilog designated the following as firecracker zones:
* City Proper – Plaza Libertad (across the Government Service Insurance System building and in front of the old National Statistics Office building)
* Molo – Molo Plaza, across Andok’s restaurant only
* Mandurriao – Mandurriao Plaza, in front of the district police station
* Jaro – Jaro Plaza, along E. Lopez Street, in front of Ted’s La Paz Batchoy restaurant and in front of Andok’s restaurant
* La Paz – La Paz Plaza, across the Bureau of Fire Protection station only; and
* Arevalo – Quezon Street, JV Jocson Street (from UMV Building) to Osmeña Street, Barangay Mohon, Bonifacio Street, and Yulo Street.
Firecracker vendors were required to have a pail of water and sand on standby to be used in case of fire.
They were also ordered to display “No Smoking” signs in their stalls./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
