Bestlink College of the Philippines denied the reports circulating online about the off-campus activity that transpired last January 26, at Punta Belle Bataan.
In an official statement issued on Wednesday, January 29, the college shed light on the situation. The institution claimed that the information circulating online was fabricated.
“To shed light on the current situation, we would like to rectify some reports that led to misinformation/disinformation which came out or have been circulating on Facebook and other social media platforms concerning said event,” the institution said in its statement.
“We wish to clarify that these reports are not true, fabricated as they are, since they do not reflect what had actually happened on the ground at the time. We strongly feel that this misinformation/disinformation was deliberately made by some quarters, with the intent to publicly tarnish the good image and reputation of our esteemed institution,” it added.
They continued, stating that the college Administration is open to any independent fact-finding investigation so that the public can be informed on what transpired before, during, and after the event.
According to them, the investigation can be conducted by the Local Government of Hermosa, Bataan, which possesses “adequate, relevant, and material information” on the event.
“While there may be some unforeseen circumstances in the coordination of the event and transport service providers we hired for the event, rest assured that the school is doing its best to determine what caused this present fiasco,” they stated.
“We wish to emphasize that the Administrators have always put utmost priority and consideration to the safety and welfare of the students, before, during, and after the event,” they added.
The school stated that they fully sympathize with the students for what they went through, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that the event has caused. They extended their apology to the students, their families, and the residents of Punta Belle in Hermosa, Bataan.
“Moving forward, we are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that future events are better planned and executed, minimizing if not completely avoiding the potential risk for similar challenges,” the institution assured.
News broke out about the off-campus activity of the students of Bestlink College after videos captured an ambulance on the scene and large crowds of students were seen on the roads. The incident alarmed the Quezon City Government and advised all schools to make student safety their utmost priority.
Subsequently, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) announced on Monday, that they will be conducting an investigation on the out-of-town activity concerning the students of the college.
