Wednesday, September 13, 2006
'Okoy' poisons 22 elementary pupils
By Nicolas C. Delfin
SILAY CITY -- Twenty-two elementary students were rushed to a hospital Tuesday for nausea and vomiting after eating "okoy", a native Filipino delicacy made of cassava.
None of the students were in serious condition and all of the students were discharged after being treated at the Dr. Jose Locsin Memorial Regional Hospital (DJLMRH) in Silay.
The students, all from Grade 6 Section 6 of the Emiliano Gaston Memorial Elementary School, suffered stomach pains and dizziness.
Initial investigation showed that they bought the snack from their classmate, whose mother prepared the foodstuff, before classes began Tuesday morning.
"Okoy" is a delicacy made mostly of cassava and prawn.
The school principal said it is a policy of the school for the students to buy food only from the school canteen and not from those selling within its periphery.
However, they failed to check the foodstuffs sold by students inside the classrooms.
The Silay City Mayor Carlo Gamban shouldered the medical expenses of the students as he immediately went to the hospital check on the condition of the victims.
According to police investigation, Riza Bangkaya, a student, sold the item to her classmates before classes started Tuesday.
Her mother, Jennifer Golez, reportedly asked her to sell the food item, which she prepared.
Some of the victims said "okoy" was already spoiled because it tasted sour, bitter and oily aside from smelling a bit bad.
Golez, when investigated by the police, insisted though that she prepared the food item well and she cooked it the right away before her daughter sold it in her school.
The rest of the food items were brought to the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) for laboratory examination, the police said.
According to the attending physicians of the Dr. Jose Locsin Memorial Regional Hospital (DJLMRH) in Silay City, some of the victims vomited while others felt
stomach pain and became dizzy when they were brought for treatment.
One of the victims, Tinyze Beira, 14, said it was her first time to eat the food.
Beira and Bangkaya are neighbors in Purok Tres Fuentes, Barangay Lantad, Silay City.
As their class adviser was holding a class, one of their classmates went to the clinic, complaining of stomachache, Beira said.
After a while, her stomach ached and started feeling dizzy, Beira said.
It was then that 20 other students complained of stomach pain too.
Their class adviser decided to cancel their class and rushed her students to the hospital.
Incidentally disturbed
The news on food poisoning also disrupted household chores and sent one mother to the hospital for hypertension.
Nida Lima, mother of Shiela Mae, said she immediately let go of her housekeeping activities to rush to the hospital after hearing the news that her child was among those affected.
Lima recalled that she was gasping for air and had difficulty breathing when she arrived at the hospital. She was relieved after seeing that her daughter was safe.
"I felt nervous. I thought something really bad happened to my child. Some said some of them died others were unconscious. That was then when I just rushed to the hospital," Lima said.
Beira's aunt, Nenita Reyes, told Sun.Star that she almost punched a guy for feeding her false information.
She however said she is thankful that the mayor shouldered the treatment fees of her niece and of the other children.
Meanwhile, Beira, along with her 21 other classmates may not be able to attend classes as they will have to undergo continuous medical check-up by the Provincial Health Office. (Sun.Star Bacolod)
(September 13, 2006 issue)
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