MANILA: The Philippines ushered in 2025 with minimal disturbances, as the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported a “generally and relatively peaceful” transition into the New Year, with no major untoward incidents recorded. Despite a few cases of illegal activities and injuries related to fireworks, the celebrations were largely uneventful according to authorities.
According to Philippines News Agency, the PNP spokesperson and information chief, Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, shared that by 6 a.m. on January 1, there were no significant untoward incidents reported. However, authorities recorded 1,360 cases of illegal possession, use, and sale of firecrackers. The police seized 593,094 illegal firecrackers with an estimated value of PHP3,922,678, and arrested 73 individuals involved in these activities.
The police also documented 27 cases of indiscriminate firing, resulting in five injuries, while 21 persons were apprehended and 17 firearms confiscated. Of those arrested, 18 were civilians, along with a security guard, a police officer from Calabarzon, and an officer from the Bureau of Corrections in the Zamboanga Peninsula. Additionally, there were six stray bullet injuries, 297 firecracker-related injuries, and one fatality linked to firecrackers. Notably, the number of indiscriminate firing cases rose from 20 last year, although injuries decreased from seven to five.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil had directed all police units nationwide to focus on public safety during the New Year celebrations, a directive that appears to have contributed to the overall peaceful outcome.
In a related development, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported a decrease in fire incidents in Metro Manila during the New Year celebrations compared to the previous year. BFP spokesperson Fire Senior Supt. Annalee Carbajal-Atienza noted in a radio interview that official reports indicated only one fire incident as of January 1, a significant drop from the 54 incidents recorded last year. Unofficially, the BFP noted nine fire incidents in the National Capital Region between 12:17 a.m. and 5:21 a.m. The BFP is still determining the causes of these fires.
