By Stephanie Sevillano and Marita Moaje
MANILA – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) commission en banc on Tuesday issued a show cause order against Bestlink College over its unauthorized out-of-town founding anniversary celebration in Bataan.
“A show cause order has been issued today against Bestlink College for conducting off-campus activity without submitting the required documents with CHED Regional Office National Capital Region,” CHED Chairperson J. Prospero de Vera III said in a statement.
“Last Sunday, Bestlink students claimed to have experienced severe logistical problems and safety concerns, with many students stranded for hours with no transportation to go back to Manila during the activity,” he added.
The activity venue was Punta Belle Resort in Hermosa, Bataan, according to a Facebook post in the school’s official Facebook account.
De Vera said they have already launched an investigation, assuring that necessary sanctions will be implemented if warranted.
“We will wait for their response to the show cause order before determining violations and the appropriate penalties if any,” he said in a separate message.
He, likewise, assured that the probe will be dealt “with urgency” considering that it was the second off-campus mishap.
In February 2017, an off-campus activity of Bestlink College, located in Novaliches, Quezon City, led to 15 deaths and injury to 40 students.
QC probe
Meanwhile, the Quezon City government likewise launched an investigation into the Bestlink incident to be headed by Vice Mayor Gian Sotto.
“The safety of students is a matter that transcends jurisdictions,” QC Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a news release on Tuesday.
“This investigation reflects our firm resolve to ensure that such incidents are thoroughly examined and that we take all necessary steps to prevent them from happening again.”
The city government said that the initiative seeks to identify gaps in policies and protocols that may have contributed to the incident and come up with measures to address them.
Specifically, the city council will focus on critical aspects affecting student safety, especially during big school events, including event organization and oversight, student safety and security protocols, supervision of students during activities, policies and fees on mandatory participation, stakeholder feedback and engagement, coordination with LGUs and relevant authorities, compliance with national regulations, and support systems for affected students and families.
“We also aim to collaborate with CHED and DepEd (Department of Education) to ensure a unified approach to these concerns,” Majority Floor Leader Dorothy Delarmente said. (PNA)
