City designates Reclamation Area as 'firecrackers zone'
BACOLOD CITY -- Executive Assistant Ernie Pineda confirmed yesterday that he was instructed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia to designate the area situated between SM City Mall and Bay Center or within the vicinity of Reclamation Area as Firecrackers and Pyrotechnics Zone.
Pineda said that per record of the License and Permit Division at least 70 firecracker vendors had applied for special permit.
He said that interested vendors who want to sell firecrackers this yuletide season must pay their special permit of P500.00, Garbage Fee - P200.00, Business Tax - P247 and Fire Fee of P70 or the total amount of P1,017.
Pineda said that the City Mayor's Office along with the City Legal Office is in constant coordination with the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and the Bureau of Fire Protection in monitoring the selling of firecracker here in the city.
He further said that under City Ordinance No. 186 Series of 1997, "The City Government prescribed special places for the retail, sale of legal firecrackers and pyrotechnics, prohibiting retail, sale outside areas and providing penalties for violation thereof".
In lieu with this Ordinance, Pineda said, all sales of firecrackers/pyrotechnics shall be done in the "Reclamation Area" where only buyers and sellers meet solely for the purpose of buying and selling firecrackers/pyrotechnics. Aside from this, it is embodied in the Ordinance that "Smoking is prohibited within 50 feet radius from the place where firecrackers/pyrotechnicws are being stockfiled/sold. He stressed that it is agreed upon by the vendors and the city government that each stall will provide or store sufficient water for their safety and protection.
Stallholders are also prohibited from cooking within the premises while vending firecrackers/pyrotechnics.
Under this ordinance, All displayed firecrackers/pyrotechnics shall be wrapped in plastic bag leaving no wick exposed. There shall be a distance of no less than 2 meters between sellers.
Pineda said that those who sale/purchase of legal firecrackers and pyrotechnics in areas outside the designated zone shall be penalized. Violators of this ordinance shall be meted a penalty of Administrative fine of P1,000 plus confiscation for first offense and Administrative fine of P1,000 and imprisonment of not more than 15 days or fine of P1,000 or both at the discretion of the court, plus loss of privilege to operate at the prescribed place of sale of firecrackers/pyrotechnics for second offense.