Over 100 individuals, mostly students, were rushed to the hospital in Sibalom town, Province of Antique after complaining of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.
The patients complained of dizziness after they inhaled reportedly an undetermined substance while at Pis-anan National High School and Pis-anan Central Elementary School at about 7 a.m. on July 2, 2025.
As of 12:40 p.m., over 100 patients have been attended to at the Ramon Maza, Sr. Memorial District Hospital, according to the Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
Another 20 patients were taken to the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital in the town of San Jose, while 37 patients were attended to by medical responders at a triage area put up in Barangay Pis-anan gymnasium.
The PDRRMO set up an Incident Command Post in the gymnasium to activate coordination and response.
Responders are from the Local Government Units of Sibalom, San Jose de Buenavista, and Hamtic, along with personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection, Provincial Health Office, and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
As of this posting, monitoring of patients is ongoing.
Meanwhile, in GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas' report, one of the patients said that the odor resembles the smell of rotten guava.
"Parang bayabas. Ang baho talaga. Unti-unting tumindi ang amoy. Kumalat na sa buong campus," Rose, one of the individuals who inhaled toxic fumes, said.
Sibalom Municipal Health Officer, Dr. Leonie Joy Gumia, that an investigation is conducted to determine if there was a spraying activity at that time, and the chemicals used.
"Hindi naman kasi masasabi ng barangay na sa kanila, kung may nag-spray ba o kung anong kemikal. Nag-mobilize na at nag-investigate sa paligid," Gumia said.
Roberto Sereno Jr., barangay chairman of Pis-anan, averred that several residents also inhaled fumes that smell seemingly of rotten substance. But he said there was no anti-dengue fogging or misting done on that day.
"Pinapaalam namin sa kanila kung mag-spray tayo. Ang spray natin, parang first week ng June or last week ng May para sa dengue. Walang nangyari na pag-spray,” Sereno said.
The said schools suspended classes immediately.
Other students not affected by the incident were sent home.
The Schools Division Office (SDO) in Antique has created a special investigation team to determine the source of the noxious fumes.
"Similar kasi sa rotten na guava fruit. Sa mga pinagtanungan naman sa vicinity sa school, parang pesticide raw na expired na sumingaw,” Eric Cortejo, SDO Antique spokesperson said.
SDO Antique and the Antique Provincial Government vowed to focus tightly on the situation of the students in the hospital.
"Pumunta sila doon (officials) to see the situation kung ano ang maibibigay na immediate na tulong para sa patients. Mayroon din tayong intervention plans,” Cortejo added.
Affected students and teachers will be provided psychosocial intervention, he further said.
(via MGFerrer/GMA Super Radyo Iloilo, Kim Salinas/GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas, Province of Antique/FB)
