Boy in Cavite severely burned by boga

A young boy in Cavite suffered severe burns on almost half his body after the illegal boga (improvised cannon) he was playing with caught fire.

According to a 24 Oras report by Dano Tingcungco on Wednesday, the clothes of victim Michael (not his real name) caught fire after the boga he and his friends were playing with suddenly spouted flames.

“Akala nila walang naiwang apoy sa boga. Nilagyan ng denatured alcohol. Paglagay po, sumiklab. Inabot yung damit niya. Nung time daw po na nasusunog na siya, yung mga kalaro niya nagtakbuhan, pumunta sa gripo. Binuhusan po siya ng tubig, [pero] lapnos na po yung [balat] ng bata,” shared the victim’s mother “Rachel”.

(They thought there was no more fire in the boga. They put denatured alcohol inside. After doing so, it caught fire. It spread to his clothes. When he was burning, his friends ran and got water from the faucet. They doused him with water, [but] his skin was already burnt.)

“Lagi lang siyang nahiga. Minsan naiyak [na] bakit nangyari sa kanya ‘yun. Hindi siya makakapasok [at] baka maexpose sugat niya, kasi baka magkainfection,” she added.

(He’s always lying down. Sometimes, he’s crying [about] why this happened to him. He couldn’t go to school [since] his wounds might get exposed, since it can get infected.)

She said that the whole incident happened while she was at work, which was why she could not take criticisms leveled against her on social media.

“That time, nasa trabaho ako, naka-duty. Pag-out ko ng 5 ng hapon, nagkakagulo na sa bahay. Naano daw po yung anak ko ng boga,” she said.

(That time, I was on-duty at work. When I logged out at 5 p.m., there was a commotion at home. They told me my son was injured by boga.)

“Walang magulang gustong ipahamak ang anak. Hindi nila alam kung anong hirap ko para mapaigi ang buhay ng anak ko, kaya wala silang karapatan na sabihan ako ng kung ano-ano, na ako ay pabayang ina. Never akong naging pabaya. Lahat, kahit anong trabaho, pinapasok ko para sa anak ko. Wala akong pinalagpas ng oras, tinakbo ko kaagad anak ko sa ospital,” she continued.

(No parent wants their child to be harmed. They don’t know the challenges I endure just to give my son a good life, so they have no right to tell me that I am a careless mother. I was never careless. I take any jobs for my son. I didn’t waste time and immediately rushed him to the hospital.)

Michael was able to receive immediate first-aid, antibiotics, anti-tetanus and other medical treatments at the hospital, but Rachel raised concerns over her son’s continuing pain for the past week.

“Bukas pinababalik kami para follow-up. Same lang, parang ganoon parin po yung kirot. Hindi makatulog sa gabi ng ayos… Nagpapasalamat ako kasi at least buhay ang anak ko. Nakakakilos, nakakausap. Pasalamat rin ako, andiyan pa anak ko, kasama ko.” Rachel shared.

(We will go back tomorrow for a follow-up. It’s still the same, there are still aches. He can’t sleep properly at night… I am thankful, because he is alive at least. He can still move and talk. I am grateful because my son is still here with me.) —Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News