This is a tragedy that could have been prevented.
“The Department of Education (DepEd) is currently looking into the case 16-year-old Jonas Joshua Garcia of San Miguel, Bulacan, who fell into a coma while competing in the the Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association boxing event,” reports Bong Lozada on Inquirer.net.
On Thursday, Dec 12, Education Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali said that their initial probe indicated “that the organizers have followed the guidelines” for the athletic event. However, this doesn’t change the fact that Garcia “complained of dizziness at the second round of the match and was immediately rushed to the provincial hospital.”
According to doctors at the Zambales Provincial Hospital, Garcia “suffered internal hemorrhage.” Garcia is in a coma and has been declared as “brain dead.”
The DepEd is now being asked “to abolish all combat sports in future athletic events of the department.”
Photo from MorgueFile
