DepEd mulls field trip ban

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) will look into the possible imposition of a total ban on the conduct of out-of-town non-educational field trips by schools in the aftermath of the drowning of two international school students at a waterfall in Bataan during an excursion last Wednesday.

Lawyer Tonisito Umali, DepEd assistant secretary for legal and legislative affairs, said their current policy allows educational field trips and discourages the holding of non-educational field trips.

“We will study our policy on non-educational field trips, which presently under D.O. (DepEd Order) 52, series of 2003, we discourage,” Umali told The STAR.

“We don’t think it’s wise to ban them totally,” Umali added.

“We may again issue clearer guidelines on what types of trips may be allowed, and strictly implement guidelines on safety and adult supervision,” he said.

Last Wednesday, two students of Cebu International School drowned in Sitio Canauan in Morong, Bataan during an outreach program.

The students were identified as Jae Hak Jun, 14, and Kyle David Gullas Weckman, 13, a grandson of former Cebu Rep. Jose “Dodong” Gullas.

The victims were reportedly swept away by strong currents in the river.

Umali said the Cebu International School is under investigation for lapses in their supervision of the children in the field trip.

He said that the DepEd regional office in Cebu was tasked to conduct the investigation on the erring school.