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College in Quezon City under fire after students allegedly walk for hours, faint from exhaustion on foundation day

What was supposed to be a recreational foundation day allegedly ended in an aggravating situation for students at a college in Quezon City.

During their foundation day at Hermosa, Bataan last January 26, students shared via social media how they were left with no choice but to walk several kilometers, comparing their plight to ‘The Bataan Death March’ as buses that were supposed to drive them back to Quezon City were parked at a farther barangay.

@_zxcxs 4hrs waiting para makapunta 6 hrs waiting para nakauwi #fyp #foryoupage #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #bestlinkcollegeofthephilippines ♬ DANAS – follow me on ig @iceeneoo

@_keytanastacio

Cancel all mandatory field off campus tour‼️‼️ #worstnightmare #worstfieldtrip #bestlinkcollegeofthephilippines #fy #fyp

♬ оригинальный звук – .

The students were in Bataan for their school’s founding anniversary which unfortunately ended as a dreadful experience for the students. It was reported that groups of students ended up walking for almost four hours in the middle of the night, and some ended up fainting due to fatigue and dehydration.

Students also shared on social media that there was “forced participation” in what was originally promised to be a well-organized event, which ultimately didn’t deliver. With the lack of care from the organizers’ end, it was even Bataan residents who offered them refuge with food and water.

Students' comments

As reports on the said incident raised concerns online, the Quezon City government as well as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has since announced that they are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. CHED has also issued a show cause against Bestlink College for its failure to comply with the required documents for an off-campus activity.

In a statement by the Quezon City Government, they have reminded schools to “Exercise due diligence by ensuring meticulous planning and closely coordinating with local government units and other relevant authorities.”

Last January 29, Bestlink College released an official statement that refuted claims on the plight of their students, “These reports are not true, fabricated as they are, since they do not reflect what had actually happened on the ground at that time.” The college also supposed that the circulating stories online were made to “Tarnish the good image of our esteemed institution.” They, however, admitted that there were “unforeseen circumstances” in regard to their coordination and transport service providers.

Social media users also expressed their disappointment toward the college amid the controversy and its lack of accountability for the unfortunate incident.

comments to bestlink's statement

comments to bestlink's statement

It can be recalled that this is not the school’s first tragic incident regarding the organization and safety of their field trips. Back in 2017, one of their buses lost its brakes and crashed in Tanay, Rizal, leaving 15 dead and several others injured.

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