CEBU, Philippines — Eleven pupils from a public elementary school in Barangay Montañeza, Malabuyoc town, southern Cebu landed in a hospital yesterday after eating the poisonous fruits of jatropha plant, locally known as tuba-tuba.
"Tuba-tuba" plant is a shrub that belongs to the Jatropha curcas family, a common ornamental plant which grows practically everywhere.
The students, aged eight to 11, were taken to the MJ Cuenco Memorial Hospital after complaining of severe stomach pains.
Based on initial police investigation, the students went to the village shore, which is about 50 meters away from Montañeza Elementary School, during lunch break.
One of them saw the fallen fruits of tuba-tuba and picked them up.
Police Officer 1 Leonardo Olores Jr. said the 11-year-old student shared the fruits with 10 other students.
Wanting for more, the students picked more fruits from the tree.
At around 2 in the afternoon, the 11 complained of stomach pains and started vomiting after they ate the fruits, which reportedly tasted like milk and peanut.
"Gistoryahan na man sa principal ang nga ginikanan nga pahinumduman gyud ilang anak nga dili magpataka og kaon. Sa mga estudyante sad, lesson learned na ni nila," said Olores.
Authorities said the 11 students are still recuperating at the hospital.
On the other hand, the Department of Health in Central Visayas will look into the incident.
Dr. Shelbay Blanco, chief of DO7’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said the regional office received the incident report from the hospital yesterday morning.
“Ato ning susihon,” she said.
In March 2014, five children from Cebu City were brought to the Cebu City Medical Center after consuming tuba-tuba fruits.
Health authorities have warned against eating the seeds or fruits of jathropa or physic nut tree because of its ill effects.
The plant has been recognized for its medicinal purposes. But recently, it became highly in-demand because of its non-edible vegetable oil that can be used as a viable alternative to petrodiesel. — KBQ (FREEMAN)