The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) has documented a significant rise in fireworks-related injuries during the recent holiday revelry. From December 21, 2025, to January 6, 2026, the region recorded 117 cases, marking an increase compared to the previous year's figures.
Regional Breakdown and Leading Causes
The surveillance data, gathered from two sentinel and 38 non-sentinel hospitals across the region, revealed Cebu Province as the area with the highest number of incidents at 49 cases. Cebu City followed with 28 cases, while Bohol Province had 21, and Lapu-Lapu City recorded 18. Mandaue City reported one case.
Authorities identified the most common culprits behind the injuries. These included unidentified fireworks, the popular "kwitis" or mini skyrocket, and whistle bombs. Notably, the DOH 7 confirmed no cases of fireworks ingestion or stray bullet injuries during this monitoring period.
Surge in Road Crash and Lifestyle-Related Emergencies
Beyond fireworks, the holiday season also saw a worrying increase in other types of emergencies. Road crash injuries in Central Visayas jumped to 449 cases between December 21 and January 6. These incidents were nearly split between collisions (247 cases) and non-collision crashes (202 cases).
Furthermore, hospitals reported a rise in emergencies related to chronic lifestyle diseases. There were 57 such cases, primarily involving bronchial asthma, acute stroke, and acute coronary syndrome. This cluster of emergencies resulted in at least five recorded deaths.
National Context: A Contrasting Picture
While Central Visayas experienced a rise, the national picture told a different story. The DOH Central Office reported a total of 720 fireworks-related injuries from December 21, 2025, to January 5, 2026, from 62 sentinel hospitals nationwide. This figure represents a 14 percent decrease from the 834 cases recorded in the same period last year.
Of the national tally, more than half of the victims were young, with 52 percent (377 cases) involving individuals aged 19 years and below. Those aged 20 and above accounted for the remaining 48 percent.
However, the trend in road crashes mirrored the regional surge on a national scale. Road crash injuries across the Philippines skyrocketed to 1,384 cases, a staggering 101 percent increase from the 690 cases reported the previous year.
The data underscores the persistent public safety challenges during festive celebrations, highlighting the need for continued public awareness on the dangers of fireworks and responsible travel.
