87 Bataan cadets down with food poisoning

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — Some 87 cadets of the Maritime Academy for Asia and the Pacific (MAAP), located in the coastal village of Alas-Asin, Mariveles town, were hospitalized after eating breakfast Sunday afternoon.

The victims were brought to five private hospitals here and in Orion town after the cadets had complained to the school medical officer of severe dehydration, vomiting, stomach pain and loose bowel movement (LBM) after taking luncheon meat, pork and beans and tokwa’t baboy for breakfast.

Dr. Renato Camacho, staff physician of St. Joseph Hospital, a privately run hospital in this city, said the 18 students were immediately given intravenous fluids and medicines before conducting exhaustive medical check-up.

A female plebe, Jo Kevin Cauyan, and Rommel Sandig, told The STAR that they ate tokwa’t baboy and luncheon meat for breakfast and soon started experiencing stomach pains.

MAAP students were from different provinces in the country and enjoy full scholarship with free board and lodging. After graduation, they are commissioned as reserve officers of the Philippine Navy. — Raffy Viray, Ric Sapnu