Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 11) — A policy violation may have led to the suspected food poisoning of students and teachers in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, the Department of Education said on Tuesday.
The Education Department’s spokesman Michael Poa said an initial report to the agency revealed that the students and teachers of San Francisco Elementary School bought vegetable and banana lumpia (local spring roll) from an outside vendor.
The vendor apparently entered the school premises to sell food items.
“Ayon po sa Department Order 8, Series of 2007, hindi po dapat tayo pumapayag na may mga outside vendors na pumapasok sa ating paaralan para magbenta ng pagkain kasi nga gusto nating siguruhin ang kaligtasan at kalusugan ng mga bata sa schools. Kaya doon sa mga school canteen dapat,” Poa said.
[According to the Department Order 8, Series of 2007, outside vendors are not allowed to enter schools and sell their products so as to ensure the safety and health of the children. This is why food should be bought in the school canteen.]
He said the DepEd is looking at food samples to determine what caused the possible symptoms from food poisoning among the victims.
The local disaster office in Sablayan said that the victims included 88 students from Grades 4 to 6, and six teachers.
Poa said the DepEd’s district office nurses responded to the call and assisted students who were rushed to the hospital.
“Karamihan ay na-discharge naman kahapon, although there are some who were admitted, so we would have to check sa mga admitted kung nakalabas na,” Poa said. “Developing story po siya kasi kahapon lang dumating sa ating pansin.”
[Most (of the students) were discharged yesterday although there are some who were admitted, so we will have to check. This is a developing story since the matter was brought to us only yesterday.]
He also thanked the local government unit for shouldering the hospital expenses.
