STOMACH pain kept a teenager, who was recuperating from fever, from joining his team’s final performance during last Saturday’s Comparsa sa Mandaue.
He died less than 24 hours later.
Dr. Oscar Quirante, Mandaue City’s consultant on health, said Wilfritz Pasasadaba, the third of four siblings from Barangay Pulpogan, Consolacion town, died of kidney failure secondary to severe dehydration.
Wilfritz was barely recovered when he requested his father Elvin, 45, last Saturday to let him join their presentation that night. He was supposed to play a pirate.
But before his group’s turn to dance, he complained of severe stomach pain, prompting his classmates to rush him to the City Hospital, just beside the City Sports Complex.
By 1 p.m. the next day, Wilfritz was dead.
Rosario Kasilagan, Mandaue City Science National High School principal, said yesterday
would have been Wilfritz’s 16th birthday.
Also yesterday, his poster entry for a Buwan ng Wika competition won second place.
In a press conference, Ibabao-Estancia Barangay Captain Carmelino Del Mar Jr., Kasilagan and Cluster 8 choreographer Oliver Figueroa announced the death of the
fourth year Section Aristotle student.
Figueroa recalled that during the practice session, he noticed the victim’s weak condition, so he advised Wilfritz to rest.
But last Saturday, the competition day, his group was surprised because the teenager arrived with his father.
“Interesado gyud sya moapil, gusto gyud sya mosayaw (He really wanted to dance),” his teary-eyed mother Lolita recalled.
The father explained that last March, Wilfritz joined a One Visayas dance presentation in Capiz. But he was only a props man at that time.
For the Comparsa night, his son was so excited to join the final dance presentation because, this time, he had a bigger role to play.
“Nihangyo gyud sya, bisan di na siya mosayaw sa street dance, sa final presentation na lang (He requested to join the final representation, even if he couldn’t make it to the street dance),” the father said.
Wilfritz invited the whole family to watch him dance. But his mother and younger sister both had fever, so only the father accompanied him that Saturday night.
Wilfritz and his classmates belonged to Cluster 8, composed of students from Barangays Ibabao-Estancia, Opao and Looc.
Their cluster won second place in the main competition, which came with a P50,000 cash prize and projects for the barangay. They also placed third in the Best Street Performance category, for an additional P15,000 cash.
Del Mar Jr. said they all agreed that P10,000 of their cash prize should go to the Pasasadaba family.
In addition, City Hall public information officer Roger Paller said the City promised to shell out P20,000 as aid to the family. Councilors are expected to authorize the release of funds in today’s session.
Wilfritz’s best friend and classmate Avelino Broa said the teenager used to sit in the last row with him and another friend, Jundel Dumalagan, sharing stories and jokes.
The three often shared a multicab ride going north, at the end of each school day.
Broa and Wilfritz live in Consolacion, while Dumalagan lives in Jagobiao, Mandaue City.
“I will miss the jokes and the secrets we shared together on our way home,” said Broa, as he bowed his head to hide his feelings.(OCP)