Classes remain suspended in ten barangays in the municipality of Sibalom, Antique following the spread of an unidentified foul odor that led to the hospitalization of around 300 students since July 3.
According to Mr. Hernani Escullar Jr., spokesperson for the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6, they are awaiting further guidance from local government units (LGUs) before allowing in-person classes to resume.
DepEd Regional Director Dr. Cristito Eco, along with other agency officials, visited the affected areas to ensure that the students received proper medical care and support.
Escullar added that distance modular learning has been approved for the affected schools while decontamination and safety assessments are being conducted.
Psychosocial support services are also being prepared for students and their families to help them recover from the traumatic incident.
DepEd commended the swift and coordinated response of teachers, healthcare workers, emergency responders, and local officials in attending to the needs of the affected learners.
The investigation and containment efforts are still ongoing, with communities on heightened alert until the source of the odor is fully identified and resolved.
On July 2, Sibalom Mayor Gian Carlo F. Occeña issued an executive order suspending classes from preschool to senior high school in the barangays of Pis-anan, Mabini, Nagdayao, Bontol, Panlagangan, Igcococ, Initan, Tulatula, Calooy, and Catmon.
The order followed a “mass casualty incident” reported at Pis-anan National High School and Pis-anan Central Elementary School after students complained of a strange, pungent smell resembling rotten guava.
The incident triggered symptoms such as headaches, stomach and chest pain, vomiting, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and even fainting among some students—prompting mass hospitalization.
Experts from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 have launched an investigation to identify the chemical or substance that may have caused the incident.
Initial findings suggest that it may take up to a week to determine the exact chemical inhaled by the students.
The DOH-6 has also conducted ocular inspections and collected environmental samples for laboratory analysis.
