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Sunday, April 24, 2005
Education office says NMRAA folks 'not poisoned'
By Danilo V. Adorador III
OFFICIALS of the regional office of the Department of Education (DepEd) clarified Friday that the 15 persons attending the Northern Mindanao Regional Athletics Meet (NMRAA) who were rushed to a hospital were not poisoned.
DepEd 10 Director Dr. Jesus Taberdo told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Friday the 15 people who were coaches and members of cooking staff experienced only "loose bowel movement", not poisoning.
The victims were rushed to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) for treatment.
The incident came on the heels of the San Jose, Bohol food poisoning case that claimed the lives of several students prior to Holy Week last March.
After Holy Week, a couple from Barangay San Isidro, Libona, Bukidnon lost one child of their own after the child and his siblings ate camote (sweet potato).
"It was not a case of food poisoning, rather it was the ampalaya (bitter melon) that they ate which caused the whole thing," Taberdo told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Earlier, speculations from various quarters surfaced that the victims were poisoned by spoiled, recycled food served at their quarters in Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS), where seven delegations are currently billeted.
A local sports figure told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that foods served to the Misamis Oriental delegation were spoiled despite the huge meal allowance provided by the local school board (LSB).
Bur Director Taberdo dismissed the allegations.
"That ampalaya was brought outside the quarters where the athletes and coaches are billeted, so it was not from our kitchen," Taberdo said.
Education officials immediately acted on the incident, Taberdo said and ordered an investigation on the matter.
"They all underwent stool exam to unearth what might have caused the incident and the laboratory tests said that there was bacteria in the ampalaya," Taberdo said.
The City Health Office said it will conduct an investigation on the matter. A CHO official said their already assigned one of its sanitary inspectors, Reynaldo Mercado, to look into the possible cause of the incident.
Meanwhile, Taberdo said all 15 victims have already been out of the hospital and have been back to their respective functions.
"They are all well, so there is nothing to worry about," Taberdo added.
(April 23, 2005 issue)
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