A baby girl was born inside a taxi on Sunday morning, December 15, in Cagayan de Oro City, thanks to the quick actions of a City Hall employee. April Joy C. Rica, a Barangay Coordinator from the City Community Affairs Department (CCAD), was near BPI Capistrano Branch when a bystander informed her about a woman in labor near the boat landmark at the City Amphitheater. Surrounded by food delivery riders who initially assisted the couple, Rica relied on her instincts and training to help safely deliver the baby inside a taxi. She later accompanied the family to the hospital, ensuring both mother and child received proper care.
April Joy shared that she was with her 5-year old son and a friend, heading to Jollibee for breakfast, when a woman approached them and said “naay manganakay” (someone is about to give birth), pointing to near the boat landmark. When she rushed to the scene, she saw food delivery riders assisting the couple into the taxi. the situation became urgent when the father started to panic, saying the baby’s head was already coming out and blood was visible.
Using her basic training from City Hall’s CDRRMD Emergency Medical Services (EMS), she acted quickly. Seeing no initial movement from the baby, she carefully positioned the mother to lie down on the taxi seat and gently assisted in pulling the baby out. When the baby didn’t cry immediately, she checked the pulse and cleared the nose. It was only after the baby started crying that they proceeded to the hospital for proper care. For safety, April held the baby in her arms during the trip, as the father was supporting the mother on his lap.
By the way, the baby’s name is Isabella…welcome to the world!
April also said she was on her way to Barangay Taglimao that day for a youth orientation lecture. She just washed her stained clothes at the City Hospital before proceeding to her scheduled lecture.
Today, April visited the mother and her baby. Photo shows the mother holding her new baby girl.
April holds the baby girl.
