NDRRMC: Baby dies, 18 down due to contaminated water in Iloilo

A one-year-old child died while at least 18 residents were affected by contaminated water and food in Iloilo province in Western Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. In a report posted on its website Wednesday, the NDRRMC said those affected were in four villages in Calinog town. The NDRRMC identified the fatality as Gerald Castilla from Barangay Dalid. Also it identified those affected in the following barangays:

• Barangay Badu: - Norbert Ojanola, 10 - Nico Polinar, 4 - Olympia Lozada, 40 - Evangeline Libero, 39 - Rolly Pangantihon, 28 - Andrea Lozada, 14 - Rogelio Caspillo, 67 - Ivan Leo Libero, 5 - Antonio Lorania, 49
• Barangay Dalid - JP Castilla, 7 - Larry Castilla, 37 - Jayson Castilla, 3 - Rogelio Peñaflorida
• Barangay Gama Grande - Jerry Panaguiton, 51 - John Dailand Peñol, 2 - Thomas Marco Dobria, 64
• Barangay Libot - Jaynard Bautista, 23Z

An initial investigation showed the causes of water contamination included:

• water pump owned by one Crispin Libero, where residents get their drinking water (Barangay Badu)
• a water source near toilets and pigpens (Barangay Gama Grande)
• food (Barangay Dalid)

Local disaster management officials are inspecting the area and recommended the following measures for the moment:

- Boiling drinking water - Environmental sanitation and water chlorination of deep wells and water sources - Repairing the drainage system - Relocating the pigpens and toilets away from the water source - Campaign on water disinfection and analysis with bacteriological examination by rural sanitation, midwives and nurses in the town

— LBG, GMA News