Gatchalian to Ched: Sanction those behind Bestlink’s Bataan trip mishap

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian answers query from the members of the Senate media during the Kapihan sa Senado forum in this file photo taken on April 25, 2024. INQUIRER.net / NOY MORCOSO
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (Ched) was told on Thursday to immediately identify those responsible for the “unauthorized off-campus activity” that students of Bestlink College of the Philippines were subjected to during a recent field trip in Bataan.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, head of the Senate’s panel on basic education, said Ched should impose corresponding sanctions or “corrective measures” on those responsible for the supposed educational trip.
“Students deserve to feel safe and supported during field trips, which are meant to enhance their education. The failure to ensure students’ well-being is unacceptable. Educational institutions must uphold the highest standards of care and responsibility when organizing off-campus activities. This is not the first time that the school conducted an off-campus activity that resulted in a mishap,” said Gatchalian in a statement.
In line with this, he said distressing incidents highlight the “grave risks” that can arise when proper planning and safety measures are not in place for school activities.
“I also urge Ched, as well as schools and higher institutions, to revisit policies on off-campus activities to ensure that students’ safety is never compromised,” he added.
Article continues after this advertisementEarlier, Ched disclosed that students of the Quezon City-based school experienced “severe logistical problems and safety concerns, with many [of them] stranded for hours with no transportation to go back to Manila during the activity.”
Article continues after this advertisementIt, however, was debunked by Bestlink, maintaining that their “administrators have always put utmost priority and consideration to the safety and welfare of the students, before, during, and after the event.”
“We fully sympathize with the students for what they went through, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this event may have caused not only to our students and their families, but also to the residents of Punta Belle in Hermosa, Bataan,” said Bestlink.