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MANILA (UPDATE)- Over 100 students were sent to hospital on Thursday after participating in a fire drill in a school in Cabuyao City, Laguna amid hot temperature, the locality's mayor said.

In a live Facebook video on Thursday night, Cabuyao Mayor Dennis Hain said that teachers from Gulod National High School Mamatid Extension organized the drill based on a Department of Education memo.

"Base sa ating imbestigasyon, kaninang alas-12 (ng hapon) nagsimula ang drill... Ang humigit-kumulang na 3,000 (estudyante) ay pinapasok sa classroom. Doon ay sila ang nagsiksikan sa kabila ng init ng panahon," Hain said.

The students reportedly stayed inside the classroom on orders of the teachers, with help from so-called "scouts", for over 3 hours, while in cramped conditions.

"Base po sa report, hindi nakainom ng tubig 'yung iba at nagugutom na rin 'yung iba," the mayor said.

The temperature at the time reportedly ranged from 36 to 43 degrees Celsius, he added.

"Sobra po talaga ang init kanina, kung may karamdaman ka, maaaring may mangyari sa'yo na masama," Hain said.

The students were eventually let out but they were sent to an open field, where they stayed for 30 minutes under the scorching heat, allegedly without water, the mayor continued.

"May ilang estudyante na nagrereklamo at nanghihingi ng tubig (pero) hindi po napagbigyan sapagkat ang mga scout po ang nagma-manage. Siguro ay hindi rin abot ng kanilang kaisipan dahil mga bata rin sila at ganon nga akala nila ay basta-basta na lang," Hain said.

This reportedly resulted in dizziness and seizures among students, while others also fainted.

A total of 104 students were sent to Cabuyao General Hospital, Hain said. Others were also medically treated in Ospital ng Cabuyao.

The Cabuyao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said in a statement that three students remain in the hospital, as of 11:30 p.m. on Thursday.

"Mabuti na lang medyo handa po ang mga doktor, natugunan naman po agad ... 'Yung isang nakausap ko yung magulang, may commorbidity talaga 'yung (estudyante) ... 'Yung isa naman po hindi makahinga, nilalagyan ng oxygen," Hain said.

The teachers did not coordinate the drill with Brgy. Mamatid or Cabuyao disaster management officials, according to the mayor.

"Ito ay paalala po sa ating lahat na kailangan po kung may gagawin tayong ganitong activity lalo na sa ating DepEd, i-coordinate po natin sa city hall. Meron po tayong responders, CDRRMO, para mag-conduct ng seminar. Bagama't walang sinasabi na ipaalam niyo, siguro naman common sense naman na dapat malalaman ng city hall, ng mayor," Hain said.

As of writing, neither the school nor DepEd has issued a statement on the incident.

FROM THE ARCHIVE

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