Quezon City government mulls legal suit vs Bestlink College

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government is considering legal action against Bestlink College of the Philippines over the school’s off-campus activity in Bataan last month, which endangered the safety of students.

In a statement yesterday, Mayor Joy Belmonte called out Bestlink for dismissing complaints about the incident as “fake news.”

“It is both irresponsible and insensitive for Bestlink to dismiss the legitimate concerns of students as fake news. This incident could have been avoided had they prioritized the safety and welfare of their students,” Belmonte said.

“I urge the school administration to hold themselves accountable instead of blaming and threatening students who dared to speak up,” she added.

The local government said it is studying legal options to hold the school accountable while exploring policy measures to regulate large student activities, particularly those requiring travel outside the city.

“The Quezon City government affirms that students and parents have the right to voice their concerns without fear of intimidation or retaliation. We will continue to take the necessary legal and policy measures to ensure accountability and protect students from future safety lapses,” city hall said.

The city council has initiated an investigation into the school’s off-campus foundation day activity held in Hermosa, Bataan on Jan. 26.

Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, who led the city council’s oversight committee hearing, criticized Bestlink for lack of coordination with local authorities about the activity attended by over 25,000 students.

“We empathize with the parents of these students. We know that no parent wants to put (his or her) child in harm’s way,” he said.

Reports submitted to the city council showed that only six ambulances were available for the attendees, some of whom had to walk long distances under extreme heat due to delays in transportation.

Local police from Hermosa, Bataan also reported that the final number of attendees was only confirmed a day before the event.

Councilor Dorothy Delarmente, the city council’s majority floor leader, urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to review its policies on non-curricular activities to strengthen oversight and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The CHED confirmed that Bestlink had no permit for the conduct of the off-campus activity, which is required based on guidelines issued by the commission following a fatal accident during a field trip in Rizal, which coincidentally was also organized by the same school.

City hall said the probe aims to strengthen guidelines and “enforce stricter safety protocols, ensure better coordination with local authorities and require institutional accountability for student welfare.”