Scores of elementary schoolchildren needed medical treatment for a suspected food poisoning outbreak after consuming free milk provided through a programme to counter malnutrition.
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The programme, which was launched in 1996 and funded by Senate President Franklin Drilon and his wife, provides milk to malnourished children in public schools in the remotest villages in the Philippines. The milk cartons carry the name “Senate President Franklin M. Drilon”.
Speaking on national television, Drilon, the third highest elected official of the country, said: “I would like to apologise to the parents.
“It’s unfortunate that this thing happened. I am conducting an investigation. I have summoned the (education department) officials and the (milk suppliers) this afternoon to explain to me how this thing happened.”
He added that only 40 children in the town of Minalin required treatment. According to the education department of the region, however, up to 179 children had been affected, from among more than 1,000 students in three local schools.
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By GlobalDataOfficials from the department of education in Pampanga said that improper storage of the chocolate milk might have caused it to be spoiled.
Santiago Polido, corporate affairs director at Alaska Milk Corp (AMC), the supplier of the drink, said in a statement that a team of quality assurance personnel where sent to Minalin town to investigate the incident.
“None of the inspected products were found to be defective,” Polido said: “We reviewed all aspects of our involvement and we found that there was nothing wrong with the products delivered under the programme.”
Health department official Eric Tayag told local radio station dzRH that several milk samples were currently being analysed to determine whether the milk was off.
The results should be out in a week, he said.
