Quezon City government mulls legal action vs Bestlink over Bataan event
MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government is considering legal action against Bestlink College of the Philippines after its oversight hearing surfaced allegations of serious safety lapses during the college's off-campus event at a resort in Bataan.
Parents testified before the city council on Wednesday, February 5 about how students suffered from exhaustion and dehydration during Bestlink's Foundation Day activity on January 26 at Punta Belle, Hermosa, Bataan, according to a statement by the city government.
"Social media posts and testimonies from parents and students detailed instances of exhaustion, dehydration, and fainting due to the lack of proper arrangements," the Quezon City government said in a statement.
Hermosa Municipal Police Station chief PMAJ Phoe Pangan Jr. said organizers also reportedly declared only 17,000 attendees on January 23 but brought 25,000 students to the event.
Philstar.com has reached out to Bestlink College of the Philippines and will update this article with their response.
Oversight failures. According to the statement, the Quezon City Council raised concerns about the welfare of more than 25,000 high school and college students who participated in the event due to inadequate safety measures, lack of medical preparedness, and logistical failures that led to students being stranded for hours.
Initial reports and social media posts showed that throngs of students were left stranded and forced to walk for hours along highways late at night after the event. Videos of the students' trips home went viral last month as uploaders said they were forced to walk under extreme heat without provisions for food and water.
The school earlier rejected these allegations, calling the viral social media posts "fabricated" and claiming they did not reflect "what actually happened on the ground." While acknowledging "some unforeseen circumstances in the coordination of the event and transport service providers," Bestlink maintained it has "always put utmost priority and consideration to the safety and welfare of the students."
Government reaction. Councilor Aly Medalla, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science, and Technology, said during the hearing that only six ambulance units were available for the entire event. "The lack of sufficient emergency response measures is unacceptable for an event of this scale," Medalla said.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte condemned the school's response to the incident. "It is both irresponsible and insensitive for Bestlink College of the Philippines to dismiss students' legitimate concerns as fake news," Belmonte said. "I urge the school administration to hold themselves accountable instead of blaming and threatening students who dared to speak up."
The Commission on Higher Education has issued a show cause order to the Quezon City-based college, noting that the off-campus event lacked proper permits from education authorities.
The city government said it is now exploring policies to regulate large student activities outside the city. The proposed guidelines will mandate stricter safety protocols, enhanced coordination with local authorities, and clear institutional accountability requirements.
Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, who led the hearing, also acknowledged concerns raised by parents about the financial strain of multiple field trips. "We empathize with the parents of these students. We know that no parent wants to put their child in harm's way," Sotto said.
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