BAGUIO CITY –The City General Services Office garbage collectors were once again shocked when they found an abandoned fetus placed inside a sack of rice in a trash can at Upper Rock Quarry, Baguio City, on June 25.

This is the fourth incident of an abandoned fetus in the city this year.

The garbage collectors saw a wet sack with fresh blood dripping at around 7:00 a.m. They immediately checked inside and saw a fully developed fetus.

The incident was reported to the barangay official who immediately called the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the Baguio City Police Office-Station 5 and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office – Operations Division, to verify it.

According to the validation of the Scene of the Crime Operation, a full-term newborn baby with an intact umbilical cord, weighing approximately between 2.5 and 2.9 kilograms, died due to blood pooling and skin discoloration.

CSWD Officer Liza Bulayungan expressed deep sorrow over the incident, saying that mothers regardless of their stage of pregnancy should not engage in such an act that does not show appreciation for the sanctity of life.

The city’s social workers appealed to mothers and parents to be strong and not resort to inhumane methods to eliminate their unwanted children.

The OCSWDO and other government and private institutions offer programs and assistance for distressed pregnant women. (By Rose Frejane Cruz)