ILOILO CITY — Eighty-nine Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets who were hospitalized after suffering stomach pains and vomiting during a training camp in Dingle, Iloilo are now in stable condition and expected to be discharged soon, military officials said Wednesday.

The cadets, participants in the Advance ROTC Camp Training at Camp Adriano D. Hernandez, reportedly fell ill shortly after eating dinner on the evening of 17 June.

Col. Edralin Poblete, commander of the Philippine Army Reserve Command training contingent, said the affected cadets responded well to treatment and may be released from the hospital after completing intravenous therapy.

Poblete apologized to the parents of the cadets and assured them that military authorities are closely monitoring the situation until all those affected have fully recovered.

The incident involved 89 of the approximately 900 cadets from various schools across Panay Island and Negros Occidental attending the training camp.

Initial reports showed the cadets consumed pork adobo, rice and water during dinner. According to Poblete, some cadets began experiencing stomach discomfort and vomiting about 20 minutes after eating.

Camp authorities immediately stopped serving the meal after receiving reports of the symptoms and prepared an alternative meal for the remaining trainees.

“We immediately halted the serving of the suspected food and provided a different meal for the rest of the trainees,” Poblete said.

The military is investigating whether the pork adobo caused the illnesses. Food samples and other materials have been collected for laboratory examination to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Of the affected cadets, 74 were taken to Pototan District Hospital, 10 to Barotac Nuevo District Hospital, and five to Dumangas District Hospital for treatment and observation.

Health workers and medical personnel promptly attended to the cadets, most of whom recovered quickly after receiving medical care.

The Philippine Army said it is coordinating with health authorities as the investigation continues and has committed to reviewing food preparation and safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in future training activities.