THE Food and Drug Administration is warning the public on the use of the paper horn or torotot, saying the popular New Year prop may be dangerous to children.
“Certain types of torotot are made locally from plastic, foil and paper attached together using
adhesives and are used to produce noise during the celebration of the New Year. These parts may be removed during use and might be swallowed by the children,” the FDA said in its advisory dated Dec. 21 but posted on its website early Wednesday.
FDA Director Suzette Lazo also said some types of torotot have a small part that may cause small children to choke.
Worse, many such props have no warning labels, and their makers and distributors are not licensed by the FDA.
The FDA advisory is the latest in a series of warnings from the Department of Health against toys and merchandise that are dangerous the public health. It is now actively campaigning against firecrackers especially with the looming New Year revelry.
On Wednesday, the DoH launched what it called the “safest firecracker in the world,” a compact disc containing recordings of the sounds of the most commonly used firecrackers during the New Year celebration.
Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag presented to the media the “Goodbye Paputok” CD wrapped in a nine-inch triangular brown paper with a wick that resembled the popular but dangerous firecracker Super Lolo.
He said the CD contains the sound effects of the Five Star, Super Lolo, Judas Belt, Watusi, Whistle Bomb, Kwitis, Luces, and Tronquillo, all popular firecrackers in the country.
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