The municipality of Bongabong in Oriental Mindoro has enacted comprehensive restrictions on firecracker use through a new executive order issued Friday, Dec. 27, 2024.

Executive Order (EO) No. 39, signed by Municipal Mayor Elegio A. Malaluan, designates specific zones for community fireworks displays, limiting them to the urban barangays of Poblacion, Aplaya, BBL, BBII, Malitbog, and Labasan, with the Municipal Plaza serving as the primary designated area.

The order explicitly bans 25 types of powerful firecrackers, targeting those containing more than two grams of gunpowder or 13 teaspoons of explosive material.

The prohibited list includes locally notorious varieties such as “Atomic Bomb,” “Giant Whistle Bomb,” “Bin Laden,” and “Goodbye Philippines,” which authorities say have been responsible for severe injuries in past celebrations.

“Despite being a Filipino tradition to use firecrackers for events of personal, religious, cultural, and national importance, we must address the substantial number of firecracker-related injuries recorded annually,” Malaluan explained in the order’s preamble.

The EO does provide some concessions for celebration, permitting the use of smaller consumer pyrotechnics or “pailaw” outside the designated community fireworks areas.

These include traditional favorites such as “butterfly,” “fountain,” “luces,” and “sparklers,” which are considered less dangerous.

Enforcement will be handled jointly by the Philippine National Police-Municipal Police Station (PNP-MPS) and the Bongabong Bureau of Fire Protection (BFF), working in coordination with barangay councils.

The authorities are empowered to conduct patrols, confiscate illegal items, and destroy prohibited firecrackers.

Violators face severe penalties under Republic Act 7183, including fines ranging from P20,000 to P30,000 pesos; imprisonment terms of six months to one year; cancellation of business licenses and permits; and confiscation of inventory stocks.

The executive order builds upon national regulations, including a 2017 directive by former president Rodrigo Duterte that confined firecracker use to community displays. It also complements Republic Act 7183, which provides the legislative framework for firecracker regulation nationwide.

To ensure legal stability, the order includes a separability clause maintaining the validity of unaffected provisions should any part be declared unconstitutional.

The executive order takes effect immediately and will remain in force unless revoked or amended.