Antique Province on ‘Red Alert’ for Safe New Year Celebrations

Antique, Philippines – The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) has declared a ‘red alert’ status to ensure public safety during the New Year’s Day celebrations. The directive was issued for both provincial and municipal DRRMO personnel.

According to Philippines News Agency, in an interview on Friday, the red alert will be in effect from December 31 to January 2. Personnel from the provincial and municipal DRRMOs will be on duty in two shifts, providing 24-hour coverage. The focus will be on closely monitoring firecracker zones, beaches, inland resorts, and other areas where people converge to celebrate the New Year. This heightened alert status is intended to allow for swift response to any incidents related to the festivities.

As of the interview, the province had not reported any incidents related to firecrackers or other pyrotechnics since Christmas Day. “So far, the Antique Integrated Provincial Health Office has not yet sent us a report related to the firecracker or other pyrotechnics incident,” Train stated.

Additionally, Staff Sergeant John Mark Gonzaga of the Antique Provincial Police Office reported that the province was generally peaceful during Christmas Day, with no incidents of indiscriminate firing by police or other authorities. He noted that, unlike last year, there will be no nozzle taping of guns by police personnel during the New Year’s celebration, a practice that was also not observed during Christmas.

Gonzaga highlighted that police personnel have been on full alert since the first week of December, coinciding with the Binirayan Festival. The decision to lower the alert status will depend on the assessment of the Police Regional Office 6. He also issued reminders to commuters to avoid intoxicating drinks to prevent vehicular accidents and warned firecracker vendors against selling prohibited items such as pla-pla and Goodbye Philippines.