CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival has ordered tighter regulation of fireworks and firecrackers ahead of the holiday season, confining all authorized selling and display to a single site at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Executive Order (EO) 47, signed on Dec. 11, 2025, and effective immediately, mandates that the sale and display of fireworks are allowed only at Pond F, SRP, from Dec. 18 to Jan. 1, 2026, and only for vendors with permits from the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO).
The order also bans the use of firecrackers and fireworks in hospitals, clinics, schools, daycare centers, public parks, marketplaces, and within 50 meters of hospitals, schools, and churches.
Testing, lighting, or igniting fireworks within or near the designated selling area is strictly prohibited, according to the EO.
The designated area at the SRP has approximately 2.8 hectares, extending near the bridge and underground sections.
To reduce fire risks, the EO requires authorized stalls to be at least six meters apart, post “No Smoking” signs, and maintain functional fire extinguishers, as well as water and sand on site.
Violators face confiscation of goods and fines depending on the gravity of the offense, in accordance with local and national laws.
Citing the cultural importance of Christmas and New Year celebrations in Cebu, Archival emphasized the need to protect public safety and the welfare of vulnerable groups, including children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.
Archival said centralizing fireworks sales at the SRP is meant to make monitoring and enforcement easier, amid recurring reports of firecracker-related injuries and fires during the year-end festivities.
The City Government has deployed a standby fire truck at the SRP designated area for immediate response in times of emergency.
The mayor pointed out the need for vigilance even outside the designated areas to prevent fires.
Aside from the holidays, Archival asked barangay disaster preparedness teams to remain on high alert from December 2025 through Sinulog in January 2026.
Mactan Island
In Lapu-Lapu City, Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” King-Chan issued EO 72-A establishing strict guidelines for the display, trading, and selling of fireworks and pyrotechnic products along the Mactan Circumferential Road from Barangay Canjulao to Barangay Babag during the Christmas and New Year season.
The executive order issued on Dec. 15, 2025, allows authorized vendors to sell fireworks only from Dec. 16 until 11:59 p.m. of Dec. 31.
The move aims to balance the long-standing Filipino tradition of using fireworks during the holidays with the need to ensure public safety due to the hazardous nature of pyrotechnic products.
The authorized display area for authorized sellers shall be the sidewalk area of the Mactan Circumferential Road starting from ALT Fitness Gym in Barangay Canjulao to Barangay Babag including the New Road in Tacan, Barangay Babag, the EO said.
Guidelines
Chan’s EO also said authorized fireworks sellers must set up stalls that do not obstruct existing businesses, are spaced at least six meters apart with a one-meter setback from the road, and clearly display the stall number, owner’s name, and permit prominently.
A total of 82 vendors have been accredited to sell fireworks under the city’s Kaabag Fireworks Retailers program.
Each stall must meet safety standards, including fire extinguishers, water storage, visible “No Smoking” and “No Testing” signs, and approved construction materials such as hard flat wood walling with roofing made of old or new galvanized sheet.
Sellers must secure endorsements from their respective barangays and clearances from the police, fire bureau, and courts before obtaining a permit from the City Mayor’s Business Permit and Licensing Office.
Attendance in a fire safety seminar conducted by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is also mandatory. The guidelines strictly prohibit minors 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 may lead to the immediate revocation of a seller’s permit.
Multiple city agencies, including the Business Permit and Licensing Office, City Treasurer’s Office, City Traffic Management System, the Clearing Team, BFP, and local government units of Babag, Calawisan, and Canjulao, have been tasked with issuing permits, collecting fees, managing traffic, enforcing vendor compliance, and monitoring authorized fireworks stalls. / EHP, DPC