MANILA — Victims of firecracker-related injuries who suffer lasting disabilities may qualify for benefits as persons with disabilities (PWDs), according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, spokesperson of the DSWD, explained that eligibility depends on medical assessment and certification. “Kasi ina-assess nila yan ano ba yung disability niya. Is it permanent, is it temporary, is it apparent or non-apparent? And then, kapag may certification ng isang individual for a person with disability, then nakakakuha sila ng person with disability ID,” Dumlao told GMA News Online.

The Department of Health (DOH) is tasked with issuing certificates confirming the existence of a disability. This certification, signed by a medical professional, is required before an individual can apply for a PWD ID. Once granted, the ID allows access to government-mandated benefits such as discounts, tax exemptions, and other privileges under Republic Act 9442.

Dumlao emphasized that not all firecracker injury victims automatically qualify. Only those whose injuries result in permanent or long-term impairment, such as loss of fingers, hands, or eyesight, may be considered for PWD status. Temporary injuries, even if severe, do not meet the criteria.

Every year, the DOH records dozens of cases of firecracker-related injuries during the holiday season, with many victims being children and young adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines has repeatedly urged the public to avoid fireworks, citing the risk of permanent disability and the burden on the healthcare system.

Advocates have pointed out that firecracker-related injuries often lead to lifelong consequences. A Rappler commentary noted that “fingers are blown off, hands are maimed, eyes are blinded, and lives are irreversibly altered,” underscoring the need for stronger enforcement of existing regulations.

Authorities reminded the public that Executive Order 28, issued in 2017, restricts the use of firecrackers to designated areas. Despite this, incidents continue to be reported annually, prompting renewed calls for stricter compliance and awareness campaigns.

For victims who qualify, the PWD ID provides access to support services and financial relief. Dumlao stressed that the process is anchored on medical evaluation: “Kapag may certification ng isang individual for a person with disability, then nakakakuha sila ng person with disability ID.”

Accountability Cannot Be an Afterthought

PWD benefits are a lifeline for people whose bodies no longer function as they once did. The law does not ask how the injury happened. It asks only what the injury has taken away. That principle protects dignity. But it also opens a harder conversation society has long avoided.

Firecracker injuries do not occur in a vacuum. They happen despite clear warnings, repeated campaigns, existing restrictions, and years of public education. These are not unforeseeable tragedies. They are known risks taken anyway. When injuries follow, the burden shifts to hospitals, public funds, and social protection systems.

This is where accountability matters. Not to punish the injured, but to acknowledge that personal choice carries public consequence. When preventable behavior repeatedly results in lifelong disability, assistance becomes less about compassion alone and more about absorbing the cost of disregard. That distinction matters in policymaking.

PWD benefits should not become a fallback for recklessness. If the system responds only after injury, it quietly signals that consequences are manageable and that society will shoulder the long-term impact. That message, intentional or not, weakens prevention.

Children who are injured deserve protection without question. Adults who knowingly violate safety rules demand a tougher discussion. Responsibility does not vanish with injury. Nor should it be erased by sympathy. Public resources are finite. Every benefit granted reflects a collective decision about priorities.

Support for people with disabilities must remain firm. But accountability must be strengthened alongside it. Stronger enforcement, real penalties, and serious prevention efforts are not acts of cruelty. They are acts of respect for lives not yet altered. Without that balance, the cycle will continue, and the price will keep rising, quietly, year after year.