Smog from Taal: 58 Batangas students suffer illness

Students suffering from vog were rushed to Tuy, Batangas Rural Health Unit on Thursday. | PHOTO: Tuy MDRRMO

MANILA, Philippines — A total of fifty-eight students from Tuy, Batangas, were brought to the Rural Health Unit (RHU) after they were affected by the volcanic smog from Taal volcano.

Smog is a mixture of smoke and fog.

Tuy’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) distributed facemasks in schools when some students complained of difficulty breathing and chest pains.

“Binigyan po namin ng mga facemask yung schools. Nagkataon po na pagpunta namin sa Tuy Senior High School, may mga estudyante na’ng masama ang pakiramdam,” Jackie de Taza of MDRRMO officer-in-charge told INQUIRER.net over the phone on Friday.

(We distributed facemasks in schools. When we went to Tuy Senior High School, some students were not feeling well.)

She said 45 students were taken to RHU on Thursday afternoon.

The number of persons who got sick after inhaling the polluted air went up to 57 by the evening.

Students from Jose Lopez Manzano National High School were added to the list.

De Taza said most victims could recover immediately, except one admitted to Apacible Memorial District Hospital in Nasugbu, Batangas.

She added there was one student from a private school who was also suffering from smog in the hospital.

This case brought the total number of patients to 58.

“Sa record po namin sa RHU ay 57. Kung isasama po yung isang student, bale magiging 58 po,” De Taza reported.

(In our records in the RHU, we have 57. If we add the student [from the private school], it will be 58.)

She said the private student that they admitted is now okay and is set to be discharged.

Meanwhile, MDRRMO said residents have been experiencing the vog since Saturday last week, but it was not as bad as the situation on Thursday.

“Naranasan po namin ito, last Saturday pa. Hindi siya katulad kahapon na matindi,” De Taza made the comparison.

(We have been experiencing it since Saturday last week. It was not as severe as yesterday.)

Due to the smog, classes in all levels in Tuy, Batangas, are suspended in both public and private schools.

On Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology announced that the Taal volcano in Batangas has been emitting vog.

It warned this situation could adversely affect people’s health.

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