BALI (Sputnik) – The daily newspaper cited Calamba City Chief of Police Senior Supt. Fernando Ortega as saying on Friday that 14 of the company workers, as well as two staff members from the Haribon Foundation have been called in for an investigation after over 300 students of the Real Elementary School in Rarangay Real, Calamba were taken to city hospitals with food poisoning symptoms.
At least 313 students experienced stomach ache and vomiting on Friday after they ate snacks distributed after a lecture on biodiversity and climate change prepared by the Haribon Foundation together with AMS Asia.
The snacks, which included ice candy and "puto pao" cupcakes, were prepared by AMS Asia, according to a company facilitator cited by The Manila Times.
Calamba City Health Officer, Dr. Adelino Labro, brought samples of the cupcakes to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Los Banos, a neighboring town in Laguna province, as well as the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) in Muntinlupa City.
The Haribon Foundation (for the Conservation of Natural Resources) is a Philippine-based environmental organization.
