Bat goes into classroom in Cavite, sends teacher, students into a frenzy

A teacher and her students at the Bacoor National High school in Cavite found themselves screaming and waving school things after a bat went into their room and disrupted class.

According to Jun Veneracion’s “24 Oras” report on Friday, the students and teacher used different school materials to drive off the bat.

“Nahinto lahat sa groupings tapos nagsisigawan na po, tapos ‘yung iba, naiputan pa ng paniki,” Francine Ann Villamil, who uploaded the video, said.

(Everyone stopped in the groupings and started shouting, then the bat also defecated to some students.)

“Nakapayong pa si ma’am, ang cute. Takot po kaming lahat eh,” she added.

(The teacher was using an umbrella which is cute. We were all scared.)

They eventually hit the bat and it then left the classroom.

Experts said the reaction of the students and the teacher was understandable due to a lack of knowledge of the situation.

Dr. Rizza Salinas, veterinarian of the Biodiversity Management Bureau, said the proper way to handle the situation was to leave the classroom and let only one or two persons drive off the animal.

“Kahit po yung pat-pat [or] walis tambo pero hindi ita-touch yung bat so parang bubugawin lang siya,” Salinas said.

(They can use sticks or brooms but they must not touch the bat, just drive it off.)

“If they come into contact, so dapat may ano na… hygienic practices, maghugas ng kamay,” Dr. Phillip Alviola, associate professor of University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Biological Sciences, said.

“But of course, as much as possible, iwasan ‘yung contact na hawakan mo sila (lessen the contact),” he added.

Experts said it was important to know how to treat animals, saying they were more afraid of people.

“We can co-exist. Respeto [sa] buhay mo, buhay ko, we all need to understand na mayroon tayong role na ginagampanan. May kanya kanyang role tayong ginagampanan sa ecosystem natin,” Salinas said.

(We can co-exist. Respect other animals or people’s life, and also your life. We all need to understand that we have a role to fulfill. We have different roles in our ecosystem.) —Richa Noriega/NB, GMA News