The Quezon City government wants to hold the Novaliches-based Bestlink College of the Philippines accountable for serious lapses that jeopardized the safety and welfare of thousands of student-participants during an off-campus Foundation Day activity last Jan. 26 in Hermosa, Bataan.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Quezon City Council in an oversight committee hearing discussed the possibility of taking legal action against the school. Bestlink initially dismissed some reports that surfaced online, claiming they did not reflect the situation on the ground.
The council raised grave concern about the school’s inadequate safety measures, lack of medical preparedness, and logistical failure to ensure the safety and well-being of its students who participated in the said activity.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte condemned Bestlink’s handling of the situation, particularly its rejection of the students’ concerns as misinformation.
“It is both irresponsible and insensitive for Bestlink College of the Philippines to dismiss students’ legitimate concerns as fake news. This incident could have been avoided had they prioritized the safety and welfare of their students,” she said.
“I urge the school administration to hold themselves accountable, instead of blaming and threatening students who dared to speak up,” she added.
Bestlink in its follow-up statements clarified it is neither blaming nor threatening students. It attributed the problems arising from the incident to miscommunications. It also said it is taking full responsibility for what happened and apologized to all those who were affected.
Students and parents complained about the school’s lapses, and narrated the participants’ sad ordeal of having to walk long distances under extreme heat, leading to exhaustion and other ailments after attending an off-campus gathering held in Bataan.
The Quezon City council had proposed guidelines to enforce stricter safety protocols, ensure better coordination with local authorities, and require institutional accountability for student welfare to prevent future similar incidents.