Most fireworks makers, dealers in Bulacan have no fire permits

City of malolos—the fireworks industry in Bulacan is now revving up for the big demand of its products for the coming New Year’s Day celebration and most of its manufacturers and dealers have started their daily operations.

However, Bulacan’s provincial fire marshall Senior Supt. Absalom Zipagan said most of the establishments of the fireworks industry in the province lack the official permit issued by the fire department which is a prerequisite before the Philippine National Police (PNP) can issue to the manufacturers and dealers their licenses.

Under the provisions of Republic Act 7183, the PNP was mandated to oversee the country’s firework industry.

Currently, Zipagan said only 36 manufacturers and dealers have secured their permits from the fire department, compared to the more than 400 last year.

The problem with these manufacturers and dealers is that they usually apply only for their permits during the months November and December, Zipagan noted. As businessmen, they should have applied for their permits in the months of January or February just like other business establishments do, Zipagan said.

Also, reports have reached Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado that smuggled imported pyrotechnic products have already penetrated the local fireworks industry in Bulacan and that its imported labels are being substituted with “Made in the Philippines.”

Importations of finished imported pyrotechnic products are prohibited under the Firecracker Law and Alvarado said the PNP is mandated to implement the said law.

Regarding the reported deluge of smuggled pyrotechnic products in Bulacan, Alvarado said that he will task the Bulacan PNP to conduct inspections on all fireworks factories and stalls in the province.

Jim Valerio, provincial administrator of Bulacan, said that Alvarado will convene any time soon the Pyrotechnic Regulatory Board of Bulacan (PRB), on which the governor is the chairman, to tackle the problems besetting the local fireworks industry that include the issues on smuggled products, proliferations of illegal manufacturers, safety measures, among others, that are being blamed for the imminent death of the local fireworks industry that provides jobs for tens of thousands of individuals.

The PRB’s assessment of the local fireworks industry in the province shows that before the proliferations of the smuggled products in the local market, there are at least 100,000 individuals in Bulacan working in the industry.

But as smuggled products deluge the local market, the PRB noted that the local fireworks industry has decreased its production by 70 percent to 80 percent.

Stiff competition in the local market also saw the proliferation of illegal manufacturers of cheap, but unsafe products who are usually blamed for accidental explosions and injuries incurred by New Year’s revelers.

Brief  history of Bulacan’s firework industry

Based on the research made by the Philippine Pyrotechnic Manufacturers and Dealers Association Inc. (PPMDAI), the pyrotechnics industry in the Philippines traces its roots during the Spanish era when Valentino Sta. Ana (1867-1932) of barangay Balasing, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, started fireworks-making for fiesta celebrations and public festivities.

In 1930, his eldest son, Fernando, established a fireworks factory in
Angat, while another son, Mariano, opted to bring the family business in Bocaue in 1934 under the trade name Sta. Ana Fireworks.

The potential of the business was later tapped by other entrepreneurs during the 1950s and the 1960s employing the pyrotechnicians of the Sta. Ana’s. Notable fireworks factories at the time besides Sta. Ana are National, Universal, Superior, Champion and International Fireworks.

Other manufacturers moved to the provinces of Rizal and Cavite to cater to clients from the south, but at that time, Bocaue has already established its name as the center of fireworks manufacturing. Accidental explosion are few, but with plenty of casualties and excessive damage to property.

The advent of Martial Law (1972-1986) led to the eventual banning of the manufacture and sale of firecrackers. The Marcos regime saw the need to control explosives and ingredients which might be used by the growing insurgents. Since traditions are stronger than the laws, market demand forced many former factory workers to manufacture their own firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices and with the connivance of some corrupt local officials and law enforcers, the firecracker makers ballooned to more than 800 micro enterprises. The manufacturers worked inside their houses and backyards to prevent detection thereby exposing the members of the family to hazards of explosion.

Accidents and explosions continue to increase with no less than one explosion every week during the peak season of production, September to December. The problems the industry is encountering lead to the formation of a nonregistered organization, Bulacan Pyro-business association headed by (Ret.) PC/Col. Avelino Mendoza, who served as conduit for concerned government agencies and lobbied for the legalization of the industry.

People Power Revolution of 1986 and the presidency of Corazon Aquino gave new hope to the campaign for legalization and resulted in the enactment of RA 7183 (Firecrackers Law) on January  30,1992, through the sponsorship of Rep. Vicente Rivera Jr. of Bulacan.

Recognizing the need to unite in order to effectively face industry-wide issues, the PPMDAI was established on January 18, 1993 and is currently headed by Vimie Erese.

The PPMDAI has also signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the PNP and on matters relating to membership, safety trainings and information dissemination.

But despite all these efforts, the local fireworks industry is seen to be facing extinction in the next few years unless all concerned government agencies and all industry stakeholder come up with solutions to the “annual” problems besetting it. –Ramon Efren R. Lazaro / Correspondent, Businessmirror