'Antivenom,' dokumentaryo ni Kara David (Full Episode) | I-Witness - video Dailymotion

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Aired (February 22, 2025): Isa ang Philippine cobra sa pinakanakamamatay na cobra sa mundo. Sa Camarines Sur, mataas ang bilang ng nasawi sa kagat nito. Pero sa kabila ng panganib ng kamandag nito, may magkakapatid mula sa Bicol na kinikilala sa husay nila sa panghuhuli ng Philippine cobra.    Alamin ang kanilang kuwento sa dokumentaryong ito.

Transcript

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02:44NARRATOR 1 Kilalang snake hunters ang Picuño Brothers.

02:47Sila ang madalas tinatawag ng mga taga-bicol

02:50kapag may nakikitang cobra sa kanilang lugar.

02:53♪♪

03:03Taong 1959 nang matuto silang manghuli ng cobra.

03:08Ang kanilang ama ang unang snake hunter ng bicol.

03:26Nang lumaon, nilapitan din daw sila ng mga Chinese

03:30na naghahanap naman ang mga ahas na gagamitin daw panggamot.

04:01Pero noong 2001, tumigil na sila sa panghuhuli ng ahas.

04:06Ipinagbawal na kasi ito sa ilalim ng Philippine Wildlife Act.

04:11Actually bawal sa batas yung manghuhuli ka ng cobra sa wild, diba?

04:16Pero ito pong mga cobra na ito,

04:19ito po ay nakuha ng Picuño Brothers sa loob pong mga bahay ng mga residente.

04:25Katuwang na sila ngayon ng DNR sa pagre-rescue sa mga ahas.

04:32Lalo na kung pumasok ito sa mga tahanan at palayan.

04:37Sarip pasando yung mga papasangan.

04:45O-of-thegress

04:49Otocinema

04:51When it's ready,

04:52pinatanggapok na si kanyang tao na.

04:55Tumadik na taman,

04:56siya ang kaninat ng narahang fore.

04:58Sabay-sayah lang nga kanyang tao.

05:00Punk or point untuk kawang hanggang ng uhlam na retract.

05:04The cobra is the main food of the cobra, this is the reason why the snakes enter the house.

05:27If they are in danger, they will also go there.

05:38And because they are always looking for something dark and cold.

05:44Even if it is very dangerous, we need to be careful because there are a lot of people who need help to rescue the cobras in dangerous places.

05:58For example, in houses, farms.

06:02They suddenly call for help, that's why we rescue them first.

06:05Because of the hard work of the Ticuño brothers in catching the snakes, a lot of people imitate them.

06:15But not all of them succeed.

06:22Like Noel, who lost his finger because of a cobra bite.

06:27So you touched the head of the cobra?

06:29Yes.

06:30But you still got bitten?

06:32No, because I cut my hand.

06:36What happened?

06:37I cut my hand in a place like this.

06:41It got in my throat.

06:44Ah, so you touched the head of the cobra in the wrong place.

06:48Yes, because it can be cut.

06:52It should be strong.

06:54Yes, it should be strong.

06:57One of its tail is broken.

07:00So if I touch it like this, it gets in my throat.

07:06Unlike other cobras, the venom of Naha filipinensis is neurotoxic.

07:12The commander's pointillism is direct to the brain.

07:15And within an hour, you can be paralyzed and die.

07:21Noel was rushed to the hospital.

07:23But when he arrived at the emergency room...

07:25I told you, I'm paralyzed.

07:28I was just looking at the nurses.

07:30You were just looking at the nurses?

07:32I was just feeling what's going to happen to me.

07:37You haven't been injected with antivenom?

07:39Not yet.

07:40Why haven't you been injected with antivenom?

07:43The hospital doesn't have antivenom yet.

07:46No supply?

07:47No supply.

07:49It's running out.

07:50Ah, it's running out.

07:54Marvin Sarmiento is a wildlife biologist.

07:58He has been bitten by a snake several times.

08:01And his grandmother was bitten by a cobra.

08:06My grandmother died from a snake bite when I was in grade 5.

08:10So I personally fought it.

08:12Yes.

08:1325 years passed.

08:16I didn't know the world of bio.

08:18Yes.

08:19Until I was asked why my grandmother died.

08:22Just a few hours ago.

08:23Yes, yes.

08:24So I fought it.

08:26I fought it.

08:29Frustrating.

08:31Because I have seen a lot of patients

08:34who just die and have a chance to live.

08:36Just a case?

08:38No antivenom.

08:43Since then, Marvin has made it his personal mission

08:46to spread antivenom in the Philippines.

08:49The problem is,

08:50it's not in the priority of the government

08:53to raise funds for the research and production of antivenom.

08:59So, is it right for me to understand that

09:01we have the most powerful cobra

09:06and we don't fund the research

09:09for its antivenom?

09:12Yes.

09:13If there is a shortage,

09:15it can start but not end.

09:19So when you go to the hospital,

09:21what are the chances that you will find antivenom there?

09:26The distribution of antivenom is already very far.

09:29The distribution of antivenom in the Philippines is here in the cities.

09:32But your snake bite happens in the outskirts of the provinces.

09:38We tried to get the approval of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine or RITM,

09:43the agency in charge of the production of antivenom,

09:47but they did not accept the application.

09:50I consider snake bite as a disease of the poor.

09:53Because if the rich are also affected by it,

09:56or the politicians are also affected by it,

10:00maybe there is a chance that our antivenom production will improve.

10:06In the entire antivenom industry, we are the only ones left.

10:10Because there is a shortage of antivenom in the Philippines,

10:13farmers are relying on different methods.

10:20When Gilbert Mortil was bitten by a cobra,

10:23he tied his hand,

10:25and then he squeezed the blood.

10:27He thought he could get rid of the plague.

10:31I didn't think that it was prohibited.

10:33Because my pen is a bit damaged.

10:37The venom spread faster than here.

10:44Because of this, the venom spread faster in his body.

10:49But instead of going to the hospital, he went here.

10:57Good morning.

10:59How are you?

11:01Are you the one who will treat Gilbert?

11:03Yes, I am.

11:04Sometimes, when you are bitten by a cobra,

11:09do you treat it as well?

11:11What do you do to treat it?

11:14I tie a 10-leaf clover.

11:19Then, I tie it like this.

11:23Then, I tie it like this.

11:28Then, you burn the wound?

11:31Yes, I burn the wound.

11:34Then, the plague will go away?

11:36Yes, it will go away.

11:39Gilbert's condition got worse.

11:42The male doctors ran away.

11:45They made me lie down on the bed.

11:48But my body was paralyzed.

11:53Fortunately, an ambulance arrived

11:56and they found antivenom in Karatigbayan.

12:02According to the Philippine Toxinology Society in 2022,

12:07almost 6,000 cobras were caught in the Philippines.

12:12Of these, more than 3,000 died.

12:19But why are there people who are saved from being bitten by a cobra

12:24and there are people who die?

12:27It depends on the amount of venom that entered your body.

12:32If there is a lack of cobra venom,

12:34it is less likely that the plague will pass.

12:40So, if the cobra venom is incomplete,

12:44the venom is less?

12:46They are not capable to deliver the venom.

12:48Okay.

12:49The venom is through injecting

12:51using the hypodermic needle of their fangs.

12:54So, if those two fangs are infected,

12:57they are not capable to deliver the venom.

13:00The first aid is also important

13:03when you are bitten by a snake.

13:06Based on experience in our fieldwork,

13:09if the bite site is here,

13:10what we do is we start here.

13:12Here?

13:13Is it tied?

13:14It is not tied.

13:15It is an elastic bandage.

13:17Ah.

13:18Okay.

13:19Because the venom doesn't flow on bloodstream.

13:21It flows on the lymphatic system.

13:23Yes.

13:24So, even if you bleed it out,

13:25the venom won't go away.

13:28So, the bloodstream has no effect?

13:31No.

13:32The bite?

13:33No.

13:34Envenomation can still cause

13:36to the person who bit the venom.

13:41In November 2024,

13:43two fishermen were bitten by a cobra

13:47here in this bay in Pamplona, Camarines Sur.

13:50The fishermen said

13:52that the fishermen are still preparing the land.

13:56So, they are hand-tractoring.

13:58It's like this.

13:59The branches are still high

14:00so that they can plant.

14:02The problem,

14:03on two separate occasions,

14:05November 2024,

14:08they were bitten by a cobra.

14:11They took the service of Picuño Brothers

14:13to look for these cobras.

14:15By that time,

14:16the fishermen were already able to work.

14:18Where are the legs of the cobras?

14:21If you can see,

14:22from where I'm standing,

14:24it's a bit more vertical.

14:26In that part,

14:27the legs of the Picuño Brothers

14:30is where you can find the legs of the cobras.

14:34Let's go.

14:36In the end,

14:37we stopped at an old dock.

14:41What's that over there?

14:42It's a cobra egg.

14:44There.

14:45Oh, my God!

14:47Oh, my God! There are so many.

14:52Let's go.

14:54Let's go.

14:56Let's go.

14:57Let's go.

14:59Let's go.

15:00Let's go.

15:01Let's go.

15:02Let's go.

15:03Let's go.

15:04Let's go.

15:10A few more steps

15:11and we reached a cement canal

15:14or a water channel.

15:16It's a bit muddy here.

15:18Where is the coral?

15:20Oh, it's under this.

15:22Is that where the corals are?

15:24How did you know that the corals are there?

15:26Look at what they did.

15:28That's what they did.

15:30They planted the corals.

15:33The corals are under that.

16:04Oh, there's one.

16:05Oh, my God!

16:08Oh, my God! It's so big!

16:10It's so big!

16:13This canal is almost right in front of the beach.

16:18The Pecunio brothers thought

16:20that this could be the cobra

16:22hidden among the two fishermen.

16:28What?

16:29It swam into the water.

16:30Oh, it swam into the water?

16:32Yes, it swam into the water.

16:36There it is!

16:37Get it!

16:39It's so big!

16:40It's so big!

16:41Oh, my God!

16:42Oh, my God!

16:43Oh, my God!

16:44Oh, my God!

16:45Oh, my God!

16:46Oh, my God!

16:48Oh, my God!

16:50They will surrender the corals to the DNR.

16:55But to save everyone,

16:58the DNR removed some of the corals.

17:08The corals will grow again in two weeks.

17:18According to Vergilio,

17:19the collection of corals in this place

17:22is not only for the sake of the fishermen.

17:27It is also for the sake of the cobra's safety.

17:33On one side,

17:34we saw a huge flock of birds.

17:38There are hunters here.

17:39There are a lot of hunters here.

17:41The birds.

17:42If they see a cobra,

17:44they will shoot it.

17:45The birds won't shoot it

17:47because it's bigger.

17:48So, it's better to take it

17:50and move it to the forest

17:52where it has a chance to live.

17:55It's far from humans.

17:56Yes.

17:59I thought our mission was over.

18:04But when we looked under the cement again,

18:09Is it still there?

18:10Yes.

18:12It's there. I saw it.

18:13Go back.

18:14Brother, look here.

18:16It's not just one,

18:17but two cobras under the rock.

18:26It's not just one,

18:27but two cobras under the rock.

18:32That's why it's open.

18:34Because there are two fishermen

18:36who are open in this part of the park,

18:38it's important to keep the snakes away

18:41and put them in a safer place.

18:44Oh, it's out.

18:46But because there are two cobras,

18:48it's important to keep the snakes away

18:50and put them in a safer place.

18:52Oh, it's out.

18:53Oh, it's out.

18:55But because the second snake was stuck in the corner,

18:59the Picuño brothers had a hard time catching it.

19:07No matter how small the hole is,

19:09Brother Virgilio managed to catch the cobra's tail.

19:13It's hard to kill it.

19:14Look here.

19:15It's changing its skin.

19:17It's very dangerous to do this,

19:20so don't ever try to do this.

19:25How long will it take for you to rescue the cobras?

19:31Maybe as long as we can.

19:33It's orange.

19:36We'll just have to risk it.

19:41After removing the tail,

19:43we sent the cobras to the DNR.

19:51The snake was caught.

19:59All the snakes caught by the Picuño brothers

20:02were submitted to the DNR.

20:04Which one is the longest?

20:06This one.

20:10Fifty-seven?

20:13Fifty-four.

20:14They were able to rescue the cobras

20:16at Bicol Natural Park.

20:20We sent them to that park

20:22because there are very few people living there.

20:27It's a protected area.

20:28Yes, it's a protected area.

20:30Ah, good, good.

20:31So people can't enter the houses there?

20:37Yes.

20:38And at the same time,

20:39they won't be disturbed?

20:41They won't be disturbed.

20:51The snake was caught.

21:03No matter how much they are afraid,

21:06the role of the snakes in the balance of nature is important.

21:15When the Philippine cobra is gone,

21:17there will be a lot of blood.

21:19When the blood is gone,

21:20there will be a lot of pest.

21:22When the pest is gone,

21:23there will be a lot of food supply.

21:26Let's admit that it's not true.

21:28They have a contribution to the ecosystem.

21:31And whenever a human being is interrupted

21:35with that ecosystem

21:37and becomes egocentric,

21:40the ecological balance is disrupted.

21:45You won't feel that 10-15 years from now.

21:49But it has a huge impact on farmers and food supply.

21:54There.

21:55You should multiply here.

22:00If you see a snake in your house,

22:03instead of killing it,

22:05it's better to just chase the snake

22:08or call experts to catch it.

22:13There are a lot of you there.

22:16Don't be scared.

22:18Stand up and multiply.

22:21Because just like every snake,

22:24they also have a right to a safe habitat.

22:43Farmers in poor communities

22:46are often the first victims of snakebite.

22:57For decades, scientists have been pushing

23:00for funding for anti-venom research.

23:08But now,

23:09there is no longer a need to die from a snakebite.

23:14And there is no longer a need to kill a snake

23:17because of our fear.

23:25We are often asked,

23:27which is more important,

23:29the life of a human being or the life of an animal?

23:34But do we really need to weigh

23:36the lives of each and every one of us?

23:42Isn't it true that just like all animals,

23:45we all have an equal right to nature?

23:55Whether it's an animal or a human being,

23:58they both play an important role in this world.

24:03I am Cara David, and this is Eyewitness.

24:34Thank you for tuning in to Eyewitness, Kapuso.

24:37What can you say about this documentary?

24:40Comment below,

24:41and subscribe to the GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel.

'Antivenom,' dokumentaryo ni Kara David (Full Episode) | I-Witness

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