Baby found in trash can at NAIA comfort room in stable condition

The baby boy found in a trash can inside a comfort room at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is now in stable condition.

"Stable po as of now, non-oxygen requiring po. Maganda ang cardiac," Dr. Sylvette Saceda of the Pasay City General Hospital told GMA News, describing the condition of the baby.

She said the boy, who weighed 2.7 kilograms, had undegone newborn screening and has been administered with antibiotics.

"Nag-start na po kami ng IV fluids for hydration and then start na po kami ng antibiotics. And then we'll do some laboratory work para malaman kung may mga infection," Saceda said.

The baby was found by Maricel Guliman, a cleaning lady at the airport's Terminal 1, in a comfort-room trash can. The baby was placed inside a black garbage bag with blood stains.

Guliman said she saw a woman hurriedly leaving the comfort room's cubicle before she discovered the baby.

"Nakita ko po yung babae, yung hitsura niya, pero hindi ko siya yung talagang ma-ano yung mukha, yung pangangatawan niya kasi mahaba yung buhok niya," Guliman said.

"Diyan namin siya nilapag, pagbukas namin, bata talaga. Hindi siya umiyak. Maitim na yung labi niya tsaka yung mga kuko niya...sabi ng nurse, buhay po," she added.

Guliman said that she immediately sought medical assistance for the foundling.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) medical team promptly gave the infant first aid treatment.

It said the baby was barely breathing when seen around 11:11 a.m. with his umbilical cord still attached to the placenta.

The report added that airport medical staff, including doctors Claro Isidro and Lorena Purisima, successfully revived the baby boy after 20 to 30 minutes of resuscitation.

He was immediately brought to the Pasay City General Hospital for further treatment and evaluation for the next seven days after which he will be entrusted to an area institution for the care of foundlings.

Meanwhile, the Pasay City General Hospital administration office said anyone who wishes to claim the baby in the future will be subjected to a thorough investigation including evaluation of their capacity to care for the child considering how he was abandoned at birth.

"May proseso sila. May mga interview sila. May list ng mga questionnaires para makita kung totoong nagsasabi sila ng totoo o hindi," said Dr. Ma. Lourdes San Juan, the hospital's officer-in-charge. —report from Susan Enriquez/Marlly Rome C. Bondoc/ALG/KVD, GMA News