ANTIQUE – More than 100 students of Pis-anan National High School in Barangay Pis-anan, Sibalom, Antique were rushed to the hospital after inhaling a foul and unexplained odor yesterday morning, July 2.
According to Dr. Demar Cahilig, district supervisor of Sibalom South, initial reports from the school’s teachers indicated that the odor was first noticed near the Senior High School building. As students began complaining of dizziness and discomfort, the school administration decided to suspend classes and transfer the learners to the covered gymnasium.
“Students reported smelling something unusual in the Senior High School area. That’s when the school dismissed the classes and brought the students to the gym, but many had already started fainting,” said Cahilig.
Teachers described the odor as similar to overriped guava, though some noted it resembled the scent of insecticide. However, after checking the nearby fields and surroundings, they found no evidence of recent pesticide spraying or any clear source of the smell.
“We still don’t know where the odor came from. I asked the teachers, but none of them could pinpoint the source. They said it smelled like ripe guava or something like insecticide usually used in farms, but no one saw any spraying,” Cahilig added.
Based on the school’s initial count, more than 100 students were affected.
“Some students may have been overwhelmed with fear after seeing their classmates fainting, which could have triggered symptoms in others,” Cahilig explained.
According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), as of around 12:40 p.m., 100 patients were treated at the Ramon Maza Sr. Memorial District Hospital (RMSMDH) in Sibalom. Meanwhile, 20 others were transferred to the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital (ASMGH), and 37 more were assisted by medical responders at a triage area set up inside the Barangay Pis-anan gymnasium, where the PDRRMO had also established an incident command post.
Congressman Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda and Governor Paolo Javier arrived in Sibalom hours later to personally inspect the situation and assure affected families of government support.
Legarda requested technical assistance from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 to investigate the origin of the odor. Governor Javier also directed the Sibalom local government unit to immediately contain the area and prevent further exposure to nearby residents.
“We are working with the LGU and other officials to contain the situation and protect the people in Barangay Pis-anan,” Javier said.
Several agencies deployed additional personnel and transportation to assist in the treatment and transfer of patients. The municipalities of Sibalom, San Jose de Buenavista, and Hamtic, along with their respective barangay LGUs, responded promptly to the incident. They were joined by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Provincial Health Office (PHO), and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
Classes at Pis-anan National High School have been suspended until the source of the odor is fully investigated and declared safe./PN
