Wednesday, March 12, 2008 'Butete' victims to get aid
THE Cebu Provincial Government warns against the consumption of puffer fish, after a fisherman in Madridejos died and his wife and kids were hospitalized.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia will hand the Province’s assistance to the family of 34-year-old Jose Abner Batbatan today at the Bantayan District Hospital.
Batbatan fished out the eight-kilo puffer fish (“butete”) and served it to his family for lunch on Monday. Relatives and neighbors also joined in. Hours later, they were vomiting and rushed to the hospital. Batbatan did not survive.
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office recorded 12 other victims, including Batbatan’s wife, Jocelyn, 26; and four kids: Gaudioso, 11; Glenn, 9; Mary Jean, 7; and Gerald, 2.
The victims are all from Malbago, a coastal barangay located a kilometer away from the town proper. The same barangay experienced fish poisoning last year from another variety of puffer fish known as “tikong.”
Garcia will give the Batbatans P5,000 for the burial expenses. She and the Capitol department heads will drop by the district hospital to see the victims.
Provincial Welfare and Social Development Officer Marivic Garces will coordinate with the district hospital as the Province intends to pay for the victims’ hospitalization.
“I don’t believe you’ll go hungry, as long as you work hard,” Garces told reporters. (JGA)
