Friday, October 05, 2007 Sweets from China down 37 graders
MORE than 30 pupils fell ill and were taken to the Bantayan District Hospital after reportedly eating milk candies from China yesterday morning.
The candies were distributed by a classmate who was celebrating her birthday.
Because of the incident, local officials of Madridejos, Bantayan Island, Cebu immediately coordinated with their counterpart in the neighboring Bantayan town, where the packs of candies were bought, to pull out the product.
Madridejos Councilor Emie Mates Gabito, council committee on health chairman, said the incident occurred past 10 a.m. yesterday in Barangay San Agustin, some three kilometers away from the town proper.
Gabito said four of the 37 pupils were given intravenous fluids while 19 were under observation. The four were identified as Marian Santillan, Sander Santillan, Ronald Avila and Luisa Martos.
The other pupils were not confined at the hospital.
The pack of Ube milk candies was reportedly bought from one of the stores in Bantayan town by the mother of grade four pupil Richelle Cueva, 10, of San Agustin Elementary School, who celebrated her birthday yesterday.
Cueva was one of those who were taken to the hospital. The storeowner bought the candies from Carbon market in Cebu City.
The sweets were distributed to her classmates as part of her treat for her birthday.
After eating the candies, the pupils started to feel nauseous.
This prompted Ronilo Mates, the teacher-in-charge, to suspend the class and take the pupils to the district hospital.
Gabito said she also felt dizzy when she smelled the candy.
Withdraw
Gabito said the mayor of Madridejos told her to check on the assistance they could give to the affected pupils.
Bantayan Councilor Marlon Pacaña, in a separate interview, said that after receiving the report from Madridejos, they immediately went to the store where the candies were bought.
Pacaña said he asked storeowner Ibon Vargas to pull out the products to ensure that no other people could eat the candies.
Pacaña said he took samples of the candies that will be submitted to the Bureau of Food and Drugs for examination.
At the Capitol, Provincial Board Member Wilfredo Caminero called on everyone not to make hasty judgments against Chinese products in general following yesterday’s incident.
Caminero said health authorities need to make a “careful investigation” on the matter, and on this, the provincial lawmakers will rely on the expertise of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (Ipho).
“Let’s not make any conclusions right away so as not to unnecessarily antagonize China,” said Caminero.
Inquiry
He said it is best for everyone to wait for the result of the official investigation before they take any action on the matter.
Ipho Chief Dr. Cristina Giango, for her part, said she is also leaving it up to the town’s health officers to conduct the investigation.
The Capitol, she said, will wait for the recommendation or request for any assistance from the municipal health officer of the island town.
The victims of the incident are getting medical attention from the Capitol-run Bantayan District Hospital.
Madridejos Mayor Salvador dela Fuente said the Municipal Government will extend assistance to the victims, depending on their need.
Bantayan Mayor Geralyn Escario, meanwhile, said her town is coordinating with Madridejos on the matter.
Samples of the candies will be taken to the Bureau of Food and Drugs for examination. (JST/JPM/DRT of Superbalita)
