By LITO RULONA, Correspondent Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno has created a task force to regulate the sale of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices as per memorandum issued by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael D. Sueño. In his executive order No. 160-2016, Moreno appointed City DILG Director Engr. Jane Docallos, as chairman while Acting-City Administrator Dionnie Gersana also appointed as the vice-chairman. Among the members were Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga of Cagayan de Oro City Police Office; Chief Insp. Rommel Villafuerte of the Cagayan de Oro District Fire Station; Supt. Virgilio Buena of the PNO-10 Firearms and Explosives Division; Dr. Ninfa Torrizo of the Department of Health (DOH-10); City Councilor Yam Lam Lim of the Association of Barangay Council; Dr. Fe Bongcas of City Health Office; Dr. Evelyn Perez of JR Borja General Hospital and Mr. Allan Porcadilla of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO). Also appointed as members were Arch. Concepcion Alcantara of the City Building Office; Dr. Glenn Bañez of City Treasurer Office; Dir. Linda Boniao of Department of Trade and Industry; Supt. Elena Borcillo of the City Schools Division Office; Ms. Reynalyn Cagatingan of the JR Borja Firecrackers Association; Fr. Saturnino Lumba of the religious sector; Msgr. Elemr Abacahin of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club and Ms. Donna Ocampo of Kapisan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) –MisOr Chapter. Moreno in his memorandum appointed the task force to perform functions and recommend measures to ensure that only allowable types of firecrackers & pyrotechnics devises enumerated in the DILG-DOH-DOF-DTI Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01 series of 2014 are sold, distributed, and used as allowed under the 2012 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations Governing the Administration and Enforcement of RA No. 7183. The Task Force is also told to study and recommend, wherever applicable, the designation of the following zones:
  1. Display Center or Firecracker & Pyrotechnic Zone-a designated area for selling firecrackers and pyrotechnics;
  2. Fireworks Exhibition Zone – a designated area while where fireworks and exhibition may be conducted.
“Initiate the conduct of an information campaign on the danger that polyvinyl chloride pipe or boga and firearms may cause to the user or others, and danger pyrotechnic devices that are illegally sold in prohibited areas,” he said. Moreno further advice to members of the Task Force coordinate with the PNP and BFP in the conduct of inspection and confiscation of all other prohibited types of firecracker/pyrotechnics devices identified under RA 7183 including imported firecrackers/pyrotechnics devices sold/displayed with no Business and Special Permits. He explains that non-compliance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2016-176 dated December 14, 2016 is tantamount to dereliction of duty and shall be dealt with accordance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations.