On Feb. 20, a bus carrying around 50 students underwent a camping trip gone wrong. Students from BestLink College of the Philippines, Quezon City, were traveling to Sacramento Valley Resort, Tanay when the bus lost its brakes and slammed into an electric post. The bus overturned resulting in casualties with 40 injured and 15 dead. Ten were dead on the spot, and the remaining five died while being treated at the Amang Rodriguez Hospital. Thirteen of the fifteen killed were students; the remaining two were the staff member of Bestlink and the bus driver.
In an article by Philippine Inquirer, Tanay police officer Erwin Gascon said the bus driver lost control of the brakes. Meanwhile, Tanay government representative Carlos Inofre told dzMM Radio that the driver intentionally hit the electric post to stop the bus. Staff members and a total of 517 students were bound for their National Service Training Program (NSTP) medical and survival training. Nine buses were hired by Bestlink to accommodate all passengers. Bus Number Eight faced the fatality.
Students who survived were seated near the tail of the bus told news reporters that they started to smell burning rubber from the tires and felt their seats heating up moments before the accident happened. In the midst of the chaos, one of them jumped to save themselves according to a report by GMA.
Panda Coach Tours Involvement
It turns out that Haranha had a different arrangement at Panda Coach Tours and Transport- the company that owned Bus Number Eight. GMA reported that the school administration has considered filing a case against the company.
Meanwhile, Brigada report says LTFRB spokesperson Aileen Lizada promised to find the persons responsible for this. They already scheduled a hearing with Panda Coach Tours on Feb. 28. LTFRB also issued a preventive suspension order on the company effective for 30 days.
Tanay Bus Accident Parents Outraged
Distressed parents, particularly parents of the bus accident victims, ambushed the school administration claiming that the institution gave an ultimatum on students who refused to attend the field trip. According to the parents, had their children failed to attend, the teachers would give them a failing grade, subsequently rendering them unable to graduate from the university.
In a report by “24 Oras”, one of the distraught mothers of the deceased students identified as Mrs. Pepito said: “Pag hindi papasamahin sasabihin nila ibabagsak tapos ‘yung sasakyan hindi [tinitignan] kung maayos.”
Bestlink clarified that absent students would not receive the final grade and instead get an incomplete grade. According to them, this does not mean failing the subject. Bus units were available for parents who wished to accompany their children.
Parents also felt that the school had not performed as quickly as it should have in the chaos of it all. They commented on the university’s failure on ‘automatic’ action in sending their children back from the campsite.