A total of 21 students from a public elementary school in Loon were treated for suspected food poisoning on Monday after drinking “buko-gulaman” juice bought inside the school.

The grade 5 and grade 6 students, aged 10 to 13 years old, of the Loboc Central Elementary School were taken to the Rural Health Unit and the school’s clinic for checkup and medication, said Gheneviev Lawagon, chief of the Loboc Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

According to Lawagon, the students started vomiting and to feel abdominal pain at around 11 a.m. shortly after the class recess.

However, none were confined as the students started feeling better after given medicine and were allowed to go back to class.

“Wala ry na admit nila. Sa RHU ra unya ang uban naa ra sa school. Pero wala raman puy nagrabehan. Gi hatagan lang sila og medication na aluminum magnesium syrup ug Chlorphenamine syrup,” said Lawagon.

School authorities have identified the cause of the suspected food poisoning to a spoiled buko-gulaman juice sold by a vendor inside the school.

Lawagon said some 26 students were determined to have drank the juice but only 21 showed symptoms.

“Among gi-trace ang nakaangin sa food poisoning and na determine na within ra sa school premises and na identify ang person na nagbaligya. Natiliwan sa principal aslum-aslum jud kuno,” said Lawagon.

Samples have been taken from the juice and submitted to the RHU for testing.

Based on their probe, Senior Master Sgt. Brian Idulsa of the Loboc Police Station said the spoiled leftover juice was mixed into the new batch may have caused the alleged poisoning.

“Ang juice a day before natapo sa pagkaugma nila na baligya so mao toy posibleng hinungdan na gasuka tong mga bata,” said Idulsa.

They were still also awaiting official report from the RHU to determine if the spoiled juice was indeed the cause.

According to Idulsa, the selling of some food items and drinks such as buko juice were temporarily banned in schools in the town pending the investigation.  

So far, no parents have expressed intention to file complaint against the juice vendor.

For his part, Department of Education Bohol Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Danilo Gudelosao said the vendor has long been selling food and drinks inside the school but it was the first noted incident involving the quality of their products.

However, Gudelosao ordered the school’s administration to check and reevaluate those whom they have allowed to sell food and drinks inside and outside the school. (A. Doydora)