January 1st of 2011 in my neighborhood had been the safest first day.

S.A.P. #7

Note: This entry will also serve as a journal to remind me that fireworks don't need to be the only equipment to celebrate the start of a New Year.

"Imbis na bumili ng paputok, bumili na lang sila ng pagkain, para salu-salo lahat sa bagong taon," says an old lady from Tondo as me and my family, while driving back home on the evening of the last day of December, listened to the AM news radio as both my parents agreed to what she had said.

She was right. Not only do we have to celebrate the coming of the New Year with our closest people and with our brothers and sisters, but we have to celebrate it wisely and safely.

Take this example on the night when 2011 came:
Jan. 1st, 2011, 12 midnight. My cousins and I decided to head to our grandfather's office despite the fact that the whole neighborhood was going gaga over the fireworks display they were doing just so we can greet him a Happy New Year. Luckily he was already on his way out of his office and we saved the time of going in.
after the pleasantries of greeting other people, we resumed to one of our usual reflexes: Watching the fireworks display.

So okay everything was dazzling, but suddenly one of our neighbors was going to light his firework when--BAM!--his firework fell off his gate and came exploding its sparks on the ground, almost burning a kid's foot when his parent got him to safety!

But besides that incident, nothing mortifying has endangered us and the whole neighborhood. But a few days later, I kept hearing and watching news that people are getting hospitalized because of accidents regarding fireworks.
What's the point of a great banging New Year if you're going to put yourselves in danger? Why is also that people are still firing up fireworks when the New Year has already passed?

People have to learn that safety is a priority and I just hope that when New Year 2012 comes people should come to their senses about their safety.