Cotabato conference food downs 53 college profs

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines – At least 53 college professors were rushed to government and private hospitals here last Saturday morning after eating food served during their conference in one of the city’s private universities.

Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, chief of the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, said the college professors experienced “acute gastroenteritis with moderate dehydration secondary to food poisoning” and complained of stomachache and vomiting.

The STAR learned that the professors were among more than 200 college educators who attended a conference at the Notre Dame of Marbel University here last Friday. 

Served during the conference were said to be shrimps, chopsuey, macaroni salad and beef steak.

As of press time, only two of the professors remained hospitalized.

Both the city’s sanitary office and the Notre Dame management said they were investigating the incident.

In a similar incident, Davao City health officials have started investigating the food poisoning that downed at least 169 people, mostly students of the Ateneo de Davao University, who attended a student leaders’ summit at the university campus last Sunday. 

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte ordered the probe, particularly on the caterer, Maria Teresa Coloso Rebosura Catering Services, given the number of victims that even included university president Fr. Joel Tabora. 

The victims were rushed to various hospitals after they ate the packed lunch consisting of rice, chicken adobo, fish fillet, pancit bihon and fruit salad.

Jeremy Eliab, Tabora’s assistant, said they have tapped the caterer’s services for different activities of the school for the past three years but no such thing has happened, until last Sunday’s incident.– With Edith Regalado