By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY — Twenty-two pupils from Bubog Elementary School in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, fell ill Wednesday after reportedly eating expired chocolates and chips.
Ian Arnold Arnaez, spokesperson for the Department of Education in Negros Occidental, said 15 Grade 5 students initially complained of stomachaches during class at around 8 a.m.
They were immediately brought to the City Health Office and advised to go home with prescribed medication.
Later in the day, seven more students — including two from Grade 3 and four from Grade 4 — exhibited the same symptoms and were also taken to the CHO.
Arnaez said an initial school investigation revealed that one student brought and sold the food items on campus that day.
However, the products were reportedly distributed to a community outside the school the day before.
He speculated that expired products may have been mixed with edible ones, as some students who consumed the items showed no symptoms.
Parents were advised to monitor their children and report any additional symptoms to health authorities.
Arnaez said the chocolates and chips allegedly came from a food warehouse in Manila where a family member of one student is employed.
He added that the expired products were supposedly intended for use as worm feed.
He emphasized that the school has a policy allowing students to buy food only from the school canteen to prevent consumption of contaminated items.
However, teachers have no control over food brought from home, assuming it is prepared by parents, he added.
Arnaez reminded parents to closely monitor what their children bring to school to avoid similar incidents.
