• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Five students of the Bacolod City College (BCC) and two Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) personnel assigned to the school were rushed to the hospital after experiencing difficulty of breathing during a culminating activity at the BCC Activity Center on Monday.
Bacolod City Administrator Pacifico Maghari lll yesterday said only one student was confined in the hospital after examinations conducted by the City Health Office, while the rest were considered out-patients and are in stable condition.
Maghari said they are waiting for BCC Administrator Ma. Johanna Bayoneta to submit an incident report on the matter. At the same time, there is an ongoing investigation being conducted into the details of what happened, and they are expecting an investigation report to follow after the submission of the incident report.
An incident report dated May 30 submitted by POSO head Primitivo Tabujara Jr. to the mayor showed that about 1 p.m. Monday, the Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH) Department of BCC conducted a presentation and evaluation program at the school’s activity center. At about 3:55 p.m., as part of the culminating activity, participants set off a pyrotechnic device which emitted smoke that caused several attendees to lose consciousness which included two POSO personnel who tried to evacuate the students.
Maghari said they do not want a similar incident to happen again so closer monitoring is being conducted by the school administration. More measures are now being undertaken like bag inspection to ensure that no dangerous substances will be able to enter the school campus, as well as closer review of activities being conducted by teachers.
The incident will serve as a wakeup call for students, teachers and school administration to be more vigilant in order to prevent a similar situation from recurring, he said.*
