Holiday Firecracker Injuries surge in Kalinga: Cases up by 33% from last year

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Since the start of its monitoring period, the Kalinga Police Provincial Office (KPPO) has recorded more than fifteen firecracker-related injuries across the province during the 2025 holiday season.

During the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo of the Provincial Government of Kalinga on January 5, 2026, KPPO Director Police Colonel Gilbert Fati-ig announced that a total of sixteen individuals in Kalinga were reported injured in firecracker-related incidents during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

According to Fati-ig, the province initially recorded 10 cases by December 22, 2025, but an additional six cases were reported by January 5, 2026, bringing the total number of victims to 16 as of the reporting period.

Notably, this figure is 33 percent higher compared to the cases recorded in 2024, when only 12 firecracker-related injuries were logged by the police.

“Ang data po natin sa victims sa illegal firecrackers noong 2025 is 10. Yung data natin ngayon (as of January 5, 2026), meron na tayong a total of 16 victims ng illegal firecrackers. So yun po ang initial information for the past Christmas and New Year’s incidents,” Fati-ig disclosed.

To recall, the province recorded its first firecracker-related injury on December 22, 2025, in the municipality of Rizal, where a 37-year-old man lost a finger. Police reports stated that the victim picked up a pla-pla that initially failed to explode. While it was in his hand, the firecracker suddenly detonated, severing one of his fingers and injuring other parts of his body.

Regionwide, the latest data from the Department of Health–CAR show that during the monitoring period, the region recorded more than 40 firecracker-related injuries, with Kalinga reporting the highest number of cases at 16. This was followed by Apayao with 10 cases, Abra with seven, Baguio City with four, and two cases each in Benguet and Ifugao.

According to the agency, most injuries this year were caused by kwitis (14 cases), unknown firecrackers (six), boga (six), five star (four), whistle bomb (four), dynamite (three), pla-pla (three), lusis (two), Judas belt (one), and bawang (one).

Authorities noted that these figures may still increase as monitoring and validation continue, particularly for reports coming from far-flung areas. In response to these incidents, authorities continue to remind the public to observe safety measures, exercise caution, and avoid using firecrackers altogether to prevent injuries.