23 December 2022 – The city government will cap its “Enchanting Baguio Christmas” calendar with a New Year’s Countdown program to welcome 2023 at the Melvin Jones football field.
During the last two legs of the Session Road Happy Holidays Sundays on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, the whole stretch will serve as a holiday promenade where people can take leisurely public walk.
The countdown program at the Melvin Jones will feature a concert by local bands and disc jockeys, bonfire, picnic and a grand fireworks display.
For the past years, the city had been organizing a community fireworks display to greet the New Year to discourage the use of firecrackers among the public.
This way, firecracker-related accidents are prevented and smoke emission from firecrackers is minimized.
Ordinance No. 53 series of 2009 prohibits the sale or explosion of firecrackers within the city limits except on special occasions such as fiestas, celebration of important events, where a written permit is granted by the City Mayor.
The prohibited firecrackers include big triangle, rebentador (5 star), watusi, pla-pla, pillbox, mother rocket, og, firecrackers without labels, and others of similar nature during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“There shall be a total ban at all times in the city of all kinds of firecrackers prohibited by the national law,” the measure states. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
