256 hospitalized due to food poisoning

TARLAC CITY – At least 256 out of the 7,000 emplo­yees of a company inside the Luisita Industrial Park located at Barangay San Miguel were reportedly hospitalized after eating sisig baboy.

Superintendent Eden Ugale, Tarlac City police chief, said the 256 persons complained that their stomachs were aching and they felt like  vomiting after they ate sisig baboy in a canteen inside the International Wiring System Philippines Corp. last Friday.

Ugale said that IWSPC, one of the biggest companies inside the Luisita Industrial Park is composed of day and night shifts for 7,000 employees.

He said the victims told police probers that after they took their meal at the Mediatrix canteen inside the IWSPC they felt dizzy and suffered stomach ache.

Ugale said 86 victims were brought immediately by the company clinic medical staff to Jecsons Medical Center, 59 in Central Luzon Doctors Hospital, 18 persons in Talon General Hospital, 24 in Ramos General Hospital and the other victims were confined at the Tarlac Provincial hospital after they were examined by doctors. 

Authorities said that the concessionaire of Mediatrix canteen inside the company was identified as a certain Chito Yalung, a resident of Capas, Tarlac.

Health officials in different hospitals said that some patients after medications were discharged while others were confined for further medical examinations.

Ugale said the Bureau of Food and Drugs is now examining the sisig baboy as the alleged caused of food poisoning by the workers of IWSPC.

The IWSPC management ordered immediately the suspension of operation of Yalung”s canteen while the incidents of food poisoning are still being investigated by authorities. – Ric Sapnu