DepEd to probe suspected food poisoning of students, teachers in Occidental Mindoro

The Department of Education on Tuesday said it would investigate the suspected food poisoning incident at the San Francisco Elementary School in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro that led to the hospitalization of at least 90 students and teachers.

DepEd spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said that based on the initial report submitted to them, there was a vendor who entered the school on Monday morning to sell lumpia and turon.

Around 88 students and six teachers who consumed the food later complained of stomach aches and vomiting.

Poa said that they would launch their investigation on the matter because based on DepEd’s Department Order Number 8, series of 2007, outside vendors are not allowed to sell food inside school premises.

“Hindi po tayo dapat pumapayag na may outside vendors na pumapasok sa ating mga paaralan para magbenta ng pagkain kasi nga po, gusto nating siguraduhin ‘yung kaligtasan at kalusugan ng mga bata sa schools. Kaya doon sa mga school canteens lang dapat at meron dapat silang sanitary permits and relevant health permits galing sa LGU,” he said in a press conference.

(We should not allow outside vendors to enter our schools to sell food because we want to ensure the safety and health of the students. So only school canteens are allowed and they should have sanitary permits and other relevant health permits from the local government unit.)

Asked if the San Francisco Elementary School would face sanctions for the incident, Poa said that the investigation needed to be completed before any decision was made.

“Mahirap magbigay ng impormasyon. Mahirap magsabi na may pananagutan ang school. We are still launching the investigation now. Tignan muna natin kung ano talaga ang nangyari,” he said.

(It is difficult to provide information. It is difficult to say that the school was responsible. We are still launching the investigation now. Let's first see what happened.)

In the meantime, Poa said district nurses were deployed by the DepEd division office to check on the condition of the affected teachers and students, and they were also brought by ambulances to hospitals.

“Ngayon po, kumuha rin kami ng mga food sample para ma-determine kung alin ang cause ng food poisoning. Hinihintay pa po natin ang resulta,” he added.

(We also took food samples to determine what caused the food poisoning. We are still waiting for the result.)

Poa said the local government unit also shouldered the hospital expenses of the victims. Most of them were discharged on Monday, and the status of those still in hospital was still being determined. — DVM, GMA News