Some of the improvised canon or “boga” seized by various units of the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) in December 2024. The Iloilo City government is eyeing the regulation on the use of boga, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said Thursday (Jan. 2, 2025). (PNA file photo)
ILOILO CITY – The local government is pushing for regulations or a possible ban on “boga,” an improvised cannon used to create loud sounds, following a spate of injuries tied to its use during the holidays.
Between Dec. 21, 2024, and Jan. 1, 2025, the Iloilo City Epidemiological and Surveillance Unit (ICESU) recorded seven fireworks-related injuries (FWRI), four of which were attributed to boga and others caused by homemade firecrackers, such as triangles and cameras.
“I will ask the City Council to review existing ordinances or enact the necessary legislation to regulate or prohibit the use, sale, and production of boga. If no ordinance exists, I will push for one to ensure incidents like these are avoided in the future,” Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said in a statement on Thursday.
Treñas urged public vigilance, particularly in protecting children, as reports indicated that boga use and production continue beyond Christmas.
According to the Provincial Health Office, 31 firework-related injuries were reported in Iloilo province during the same period, 17 of which were caused by Boga.
Last week, Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) Director Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky said he would recommend to the Regional Peace and Order Council that local government units pass ordinances banning boga during New Year celebrations. (PNA)
