Red tide organisms find new host shells

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines  – A marine biologist closely monitoring Sorsogon Bay in Bicol yesterday confirmed that red tide microorganisms previously found only in green mussels (tahong) have found a new host in pen shells (baloko), which, for the first time, claimed the life of a child and downed four other members of his family in Sorsogon last week.

Ronnel Dioneda, a researcher of the Bicol University who has been studying Sorsogon Bay for over a decade now, said the deadly microorganisms have multiplied so thickly that they have already contaminated even marine products in the muddy seabed like the pen shells.

Early this week, Gil Ramos, Sorsogon officer of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, confirmed that red tide-contaminated pen shells caused the death of six-year-old Brent Espaldon and the hospitalization of his father Bernabe, 39, and siblings Vanessa, 16; Beverly, 12; Bryan, 8; and Bernand, 7, all of Barangay Quince Martirez, Casiguran town.

Dioneda said this is the first confirmed case of red tide poisoning involving pen shells.