President Rodrigo Duterte has decided not to totally ban the firecrackers by allowing the local government units to lead their use during New Year revelry.

In a televised public message on Monday night, Duterte said he did not want those in the firecrackers industry to totally lose their livelihood.

"So as not to deprive the Bocaue (Bulacan) residents of their livelihood, I will only allow - if I can still have the next Christmas - I only allow firecrackers and everything to be done by government," he said.

He said it would be the mayor and the chief of police in a municipality or city who should handle the use of the firecrackers.

"Those fireworks in the the community in order for the people to see with all the safe distances...it would behooves on the mayor to see to it that everything or everybody and everything is in place and everybody is safe. I will only agree on that, only government," he said.

He said the sale of firecrackers should only be done for the New Year celebration.

"I'll leave it to the mayor and to the chief of police to see to it that I said the presentation for the firecrackers shall be on New Year only and at the --- with the supervision of the mayor and the control of the chief of police," he added.

Duterte earlier mulled to implement a total firecrackers ban by next year due to health and safety reasons.

But those in the firecrackers industry, including manufacturers and vendors in Bocaue, have appealed to Duterte not to totally ban the firecrackers. Celerina Monte/DMS