Local governments in Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City have issued new executive orders tightening regulations on the sale, display, and use of fireworks and firecrackers ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, citing public safety concerns and the need to prevent fire incidents and injuries during the holiday season.
In Cebu City, Mayor Nestor Archival ordered the centralization of all authorized fireworks selling and display activities to a single site at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Executive Order (EO) 47, signed on Dec. 11, 2025, and effective immediately, limits fireworks sales and display to Pond F at the SRP from Dec. 18, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026.
Only vendors who have secured permits from the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) are allowed to operate within the designated area.
Under the order, the use of fireworks and firecrackers is prohibited in hospitals, clinics, schools, daycare centers, public parks, and marketplaces.
The EO also bans the ignition of fireworks within a 50-meter radius of hospitals, schools, and churches. In addition, testing, lighting, or igniting fireworks within or near the designated selling area at the SRP is strictly prohibited.
The designated fireworks selling area at the SRP spans approximately 2.8 hectares and extends near the bridge and underground sections of the property. To minimize fire hazards, the EO requires authorized stalls to be spaced at least six meters apart.
Vendors must also post “No Smoking” signs and ensure that functional fire extinguishers, along with water and sand, are readily available at their stalls.
Violators of the EO face penalties that include confiscation of fireworks and firecrackers and the imposition of fines, depending on the severity of the offense, in accordance with existing local ordinances and national laws.
The mayor cited the cultural importance of Christmas and New Year celebrations in Cebu but stressed that public safety remains a priority, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.
Centralizing fireworks sales at the SRP, he said, is intended to make monitoring and enforcement easier, especially amid recurring reports of firecracker-related injuries and fires during year-end festivities.
To ensure quick response in case of emergencies, the Cebu City Government has deployed a standby fire truck at the designated SRP selling area.
The mayor also emphasized the need for continued vigilance even outside the authorized selling zone to prevent fire-related incidents.
Beyond the holiday season, Archival directed barangay disaster preparedness teams to remain on heightened alert from December 2025 through the Sinulog festivities in January 2026, when the use of fireworks and other fire-related risks typically increase.
Meanwhile, in Lapu-Lapu City, Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” King-Chan issued Executive Order 72-A on Dec. 15, 2025, setting strict guidelines for the display, trading, and selling of fireworks and pyrotechnic products along the Mactan Circumferential Road.
The authorized area covers the stretch from Barangay Canjulao to Barangay Babag during the Christmas and New Year season.
Under the EO, authorized vendors are allowed to sell fireworks starting Dec. 16 until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2025.
The measure aims to balance the long-standing Filipino tradition of using fireworks during the holidays with public safety considerations, given the hazardous nature of pyrotechnic products.
The EO specifies that authorized fireworks displays must be confined to the sidewalk area of the Mactan Circumferential Road, beginning from ALT Fitness Gym in Barangay Canjulao up to Barangay Babag, including the New Road in Tacan, Barangay Babag.
The guidelines require stalls to be positioned so they do not obstruct existing businesses. Stalls must be spaced at least six meters apart, maintain a one-meter setback from the road, and prominently display the stall number, owner’s name, and permit.
A total of 82 vendors have been accredited to sell fireworks under the city’s Kaabag Fireworks Retailers program.
Each stall must comply with safety requirements, including the availability of fire extinguishers and water storage, visible “No Smoking” and “No Testing” signs, and approved construction materials such as hard flat wood walling and roofing made of old or new galvanized sheets.
Fireworks sellers are also required to secure endorsements from their respective barangays, as well as clearances from the police, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and courts before obtaining a permit from the City Mayor’s Business Permit and Licensing Office.
Attendance at a fire safety seminar conducted by the BFP is mandatory, and minors are strictly prohibited from assisting or staying in fireworks stalls.
Unauthorized selling of fireworks may result in apprehension and confiscation of goods, while failure to comply with any provision of the EO may lead to the immediate revocation of a seller’s permit.
Several city agencies have been tasked with implementing and enforcing the regulations, including the Business Permit and Licensing Office, City Treasurer’s Office, City Traffic Management System, the Clearing Team, the BFP, and the local government units of Babag, Calawisan, and Canjulao.
These offices are responsible for issuing permits, collecting fees, managing traffic, ensuring vendor compliance, and monitoring authorized fireworks stalls throughout the holiday season.
