The EcoWaste Coalition Launches 'Iwas Paputoxic' Campaign to Ensure a Safe and Eco-Friendly New Year's Eve
Quezon City, December 15, 2025 - In a bid to promote a safe and healthy celebration of the New Year, the EcoWaste Coalition, alongside health professionals, government agencies, and environmental advocates, initiated the 'Iwas Paputoxic' campaign at Pinyahan Elementary School. The event aimed to educate students and the community about the dangers of firecrackers and fireworks, which annually result in injuries, fires, toxic emissions, and hazardous waste.
The campaign, held at the school premises, attracted over 1,000 students and teachers, led by Principal Dr. Jocelyn Ladica. The program highlighted the risks associated with firecrackers and fireworks, emphasizing the need for safer alternatives. It encouraged children to avoid firecrackers and instead create and use eco-friendly noisemakers, ensuring a fun and safe celebration.
Dr. Percival Lao, from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, joined the call for a 'paputok-free' celebration. He discussed the risks of firecracker-related injuries and the harmful effects of smoke, which contains chemicals and particulates that can trigger asthma and respiratory issues. Dr. Lao emphasized the interconnected impacts on human health, animals, and the environment, citing the distress caused to pets and wildlife by loud explosions.
'Firecrackers and fireworks are not toys for children,' Dr. Lao stated. 'Injury prevention is crucial, and we must consider the broader implications. As a One Health specialist, we recognize the impact on people, animals, and our shared environment. Loud explosions can cause panic and disorientation in animals, and hazardous smoke and debris contaminate our air, water, and soil, affecting ecosystems that humans and animals depend on.'
The Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) representatives also urged students and families to practice safety measures, given the annual spike in firecracker-related injuries and fire incidents. EcoWaste Coalition National Coordinator Aileen Lucero advocated for creative and eco-friendly holiday celebrations, promoting the use of handmade noisemakers from household items to prevent injuries and waste.
'We want children to enjoy the holidays safely,' Lucero said. 'By avoiding firecrackers and fireworks and opting for safe alternatives, we protect our health and the environment. This includes our vulnerable children, pets, and the air we breathe.'
The event showcased various 'alternatibong pampaingay' or alternative noisemakers, including shakers made from used boxes and containers filled with materials like stones, beads, and kitchen utensils. Each section enthusiastically shouted their slogans for injury and pollution prevention while playing their eco-friendly noisemakers.
Parent leaders Juana Sanat and Julian Dennise Cruzat, representing the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and the Supreme Elementary Learner Government (SELG), emphasized the importance of personal and community health. They urged students to avoid firecrackers, which are not toys, and instead celebrate safely and sustainably.
The Iwas Paputoxic campaign is an ongoing initiative by the EcoWaste Coalition, launched in 2006, to reduce firecracker-related injuries, air pollution, and toxic waste during the holiday season. It aims to encourage families and communities to adopt safer and more sustainable New Year's Eve celebrations, supported by the government's Iwas Paputok program led by the DOH.
