Tumulak: Caffeine overdose blamed for students’ illness

CEBU, Philippines - The 34 students who were hospitalized after drinking samples of bottled coffee that were offered to them for free were diagnosed of caffeine overdose.

Councilor David Tumulak said he was told by the doctors of Cebu City Medical Center that the abdominal pain, heart palpitation, headache and vomiting experienced by the students of Concord Technical Institute in Barangay Basak-San Nicolas last Thursday were traced to caffeine intoxication after drinking Kopiko 78°C coffee latte.

Tumulak said six of the students are still in the hospital.

"Gi-assess pa ang unom, sa unom dunay isa nga admitted, sixteen years old, mao ni siyay gi-monitor og maayo sa mga doctor sa CCMC because kagahapon kusog ang iyang palpitation sa iyang heartbeat, niya karon sobrang hinay mao na'ng giobserbahan siya og maayo," Tumulak said.

The doctors attending to the students said that minors are only allowed to drink 60 to 70 milligrams of caffeine per day. The bottled coffee given for free to the students contains 150 milligrams of caffeine.

Tumulak said the advertising company responsible for the sampling activity should be held answerable.

Youthopia Media Philippines project coordinator Nathaniel Nuevas admitted there was a mistake in including minors in the sampling.

"Nasayop lang me kay nakahatag man mi og below 18 years old kay sagol man diay ang high school sa kolehiyo sa maong tulonghaan," he said.

Tumulak has called on the Department of Education to be cautious in allowing sampling activities in schools.

The advertising company, however, promised to shoulder all the hospital bills of the victims.

Nagiel Bañacia, head of the city's disaster risk reduction management council, said the Kopiko distributor in Cebu is also willing to shoulder the expenses. In fact, Rene Dela Calzada, Kopiko representative, visited the patients yesterday in the hospital.

"Niadto na sila karon sa CCMC, they reach out to the parents, ni-refund sila sa tanan, nihangyo man sad ko nila nga please take care all the expenses," Bañacia said.

Bañacia said he had asked Dela Calzada to stop the distribution of sample product while waiting for the result of the test conducted by the Department of Science and Technology.

The result is expected to be out two to three weeks from now.

Anna Patricia Malay, Kopiko 78°C spokesperson, assured that they will cooperate with the city government.

"The safety and well-being of consumers is our top priority. We are currently investigating the matter to get all the relevant facts and are supporting the Cebu City government in their proceedings. In the meantime, we have made ourselves available to the families concerned for any medical attention and assistance they may need," Kopiko's official statement reads. (FREEMAN)