Just as one of its provinces broke multiple Guinness World fireworks records on New Year's, the Philippines government says the number of fireworks-related injuries over the Christmas period has hit 760, while one man has died.
The Department of Health-Epidemiology Bureau (DOH-EB) reported Sunday that most of the injuries were recorded in the capital city of Manila, and that nearly half of all the injuries were caused by piccolo firecrackers.
Piccolo firecrackers -- often available as a cardboard cylinder of gunpowder and pyrotechnic material -- are readily available and inexpensive, they're often the cause of the majority of accidents and injuries at home.
'Piccolo' is still most dangerous firecracker https://t.co/z2Rl14oY6O pic.twitter.com/Slj3X3ehPO— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 2, 2016
Firecracker-related injuries in East Ave Medical Center in QC now at 27. Of these, 23 due to piccolo. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/sLGoMi1iNm— Cedric Castillo (@cedric_castillo) December 31, 2015
Fire officials also said a huge fire broke out in Manila's Tondo slum district, where a firecracker sparked a blaze that burned down 1,000 shanty homes and displaced thousands of families.
The chief of the DOH, Janette Garin, said the majority of injuries happened where people have easy access to illegal fireworks.
The police have been trying to crack down on prohibited firecrackers for years in the country, where lighting one is a common way of celebrating a festive occasion. They routinely sweep stores around big holidays like Christmas and New Year's, but new illegal products continue to pop up all the same.
According to the government, the injuries recorded over Christmas and New Year were slightly lower than the year before, when they reached 839. The DOH says the lower number of injuries is likely because of renewed efforts in spreading information to educate the public on the dangers of unlicensed fireworks.
"Goodbye Philippines" kills one
Just before the New Year, a couple of new firecrackers showed up on the market, which the police seized. "Hello Colombia" and "Goodbye Philippines" -- named after the recent Miss Universe fiasco were discovered and outlawed, because they packed more gunpowder than in smaller, legal versions.
Seems like #MsUniverse2015 fever reached Bocaue. An illegal firecracker was named #HelloColumbia. @cnnphilippines pic.twitter.com/nDJwo4U7dw— Gerg Anrol Cahiles (@gergcahiles) December 29, 2015
"Goodbye Philippines" claimed its first victim over the New Year's, scarcely a month after its debut, said Garin. She said a drunk man lit a stick of the firecracker, which exploded in his arms and shattered his jaw. He later died in the hospital.
Guinness World record-breaking fireworks
While fireworks injured hundreds across the country, an estimated 100,000 in the province of Bulacan attended a fireworks extravaganza to try to break multiple Guiness World records on New Year's Day.
Iglesia ni Cristo, a large religious group, set off 700,000 fireworks for a show lasting nearly an hour, in order to break Norway's previous record.
The event also broke two other Guinness records: for the longest line of sparklers lit in relay, and the most sparklers lit simultaneously.
Bulacan is the country's fireworks capital, with nearly half of its manufacturers and dealers located in the province.
A photo posted by High Quality fireworks (@jc_castillo_fireworks) on Dec 25, 2015 at 2:31am PST
Yeah! We're ready for a brighter and a happier New Year! Thanks @jc_castillo_fireworks :) #2016 #newyear #fireworks #holidays #light #bulacan #jccastillofireworks #firecrackers #fireworksph A photo posted by Lucky De Leon (@imyourluckystar08) on Dec 28, 2015 at 12:30am PST