CEBU — Another newborn baby was found left inside a box in northern Cebu Tuesday morning, just days after an abandoned baby was also found in the province's famed Bantayan Island.

Local officials at Barangay Sambag, Bogo City were shocked to see the said baby boy, which was left inside the garage of the village's chief Virgilio Terado Jr.

Terado's wife discovered the abandoned infant at around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Bogo City police chief Lt. Col. Joan Arnoco said the baby's umbilical cord had not been cut off.

“The captain called us and we immediately sent our Women and Children Protection Desk personnel to check on the situation,” said Arnoco.

The infant was sent to a nearby hospital for assessment and treatment.

This is the second incident this week that a newborn was left abandoned in Cebu.

Last Sunday, another baby boy was left at a Catholic church in Bantayan Island.

Because of the two incidents, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) sounded the alarm on abandoned infants in the province.

“We want to let parents know that if they are not ready, they can always talk to our social worker to plan and guide them in raising their child,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Lucero.

Lucero said among the reasons why infants may be abandoned include unwanted pregnancy, teenage pregnancies, being victims of rape, among others.

“We can guide them instead of them leaving the newborn anywhere which is a big risk,” she added.

As of writing, the DSWD said its personnel were already tracing the relatives of the abandoned babies.

“They are posting, just in case a parent or relative [takes] ownership but if not we will take the babies to our center in Cebu City for adoption,” Lucero added.

—Report from Annie Perez