Manila: In a bid to minimise firecracker and pyrotechnics injuries in
the run-up to the New Year revelry, the Department of Health had
repackaged an old Filipino noisemaking gimmick and added a new twist.
Department of Health (DOH) has released the "Goodbye Paputok"
(Goodbye Firecracker) a compact disk (CD) recording of sounds typically
heard during New Year celebrations. The CDs are given out for free and
are packed in an album shaped like a huge triangular "rebentador"
complete with a false fuse.
Dr. Eric Tayag, who spearheads the government campaign against
the use of firecrackers says the "Goodbye Paputok" drive aims to
gradually wean Filipinos away from the tradition of dangerous,
gunpowder-charged merrymaking during the New Year.
"It's the safest way to celebrate the coming of the New Year,"
Tayag said, adding that each year, hundreds of Filipinos are injured
from firecracker injuries.
Tayag said copies of the CDs, are being distributed to local
governments across the country but emphasis has been given in Metro
Manila where most firecracker injuries occur.
During the early 1970s in the period of martial law, the
government then President Ferdinand Marcos had totally banned the use of
firecrackers. Filipinos instead used various noisemaking gimmicks such
as tooting horns, banging pots and pans or e pulling with bicycles or
cars empty cans.
Although the prohibition had effectively curbed injuries from
gunpowder packed noisemakers, Filipinos reverted to using firecrackers
for celebrations as the restriction eased.
Safe noisemaking
To bring back the spirit of safe noisemaking to welcome the New
Year, the DOH, through the help of popular Filipino band "6cyclemind",
recorded the ambience of traditional celebrations sans the danger of
actually lighting firecrackers.
"All you need is to turn up the volume of your sound systems speakers and slide in the Goodbye Paputok CD," said Tayag.
Sounds of exploding firecrackers can be heard from the CD as well as a countdown to the New Year.
According to Tayag, the DOH is working on a version of the CD that can be downloaded on the agency's website, www.doh.gov.ph.
*credits to Gulf News
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