Metro Manila, Philippines – Firework-related injuries topped 600 days before the government ends its monitoring of the new year revelry, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
As of 4 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, the DOH said it logged 655 injuries due to firecrackers, of which more than half were aged 19 or younger.
“Kaugnay nito, 19 sa mga biktima ang naputulan ng daliri o kamay dahil sa iba’t ibang uri ng paputok; 11 ay menor de edad,” the agency said, noting that a 4-year-old was the youngest victim who lost four fingers due to an explosion of an unidentified firecracker.
[Translation: Nineteen of the victims lost a finger or hand due to various kinds of firecrackers; 11 were minors.]
The DOH said unidentified fireworks, kwitis or skyrocket, and the illegal 5-star were the leading causes of injuries.
“Naobserbahan man ng kagawaran ang 20% na pagbaba ng kaso, ikinalulungkot pa rin ng DOH ang sinapit ng mga nagpaputok at aksidenteng nasabugan ng firecrackers,” it said.
[Translation: While there was a 20 percent decrease in cases, the DOH is saddened by the injuries and accidents caused by firecrackers.]
Monitoring will be until Jan. 5.
Mental health calls
The DOH also logged 961 calls in the mental health hotline of the National Center for Mental Health, as of Jan. 2.
“Tumaas ang bilang ng callers nitong December 30, 2025, kung saan problema sa relasyon o love life, anxiety, at depressive symptoms ang pangunahing dahilan ng pagtawag,” it said.
[Translation: The number of callers increased on Dec. 30, where common problems during consultations were relationships or love life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.]
The agency previously said calls to the mental health hotline peaked on Dec. 23.
Other health cases
Meanwhile, the DOH continues to monitor other illnesses since Dec. 21.
It said non-communicable diseases reached 349 as of Jan. 2, nine percent higher year-on-year.
Data showed 205 cases of acute stroke, which was the common cause of death in recorded non-communicable diseases, 95 cases of acute coronary syndrome, and 49 cases of bronchial asthma.
For road crash injuries, the tally was 1,113, as of Jan. 2, which was 82 percent higher. Seven were dead.
People 15 to 29 years old were involved in nearly half of the cases.
