
By ERIKA SINAKING
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Bestlink College of the Philippines, a 23-year-old institution known for offering affordable education, faces scrutiny over allegations of mandatory tours, “hidden fees,” and an “unrealistic” academic workload for students who opt out of such tours.
“It was required,” said AJ, a student at Bestlink College. “Our professors said that it would cover our prelim project.”
The bus assignments were ignored, and thousands of students walked the distance on January 26 after an off-campus activity to a resort in Hermosa, Bataan. This event coincided with the college’s foundation day.
“We were afraid not to go because our grades would be blank,” Dane, another student, said.
With poor signal reception in the area, coordinating with peers and school authorities became impossible. Some students were left searching for restrooms in nearby homes, paying P10 per use.
To board buses with open seats was their only option to get home.
“We were just told to fill up whatever bus had space,” according to a third-year student, “we didn’t even end up riding with the same people we came with.”
Livestream footage surfaced during the “march in Bataan,” followed by an increase in complaints shared on social media.
In the aftermath
Bestlink College issued statements in response to the complaints. The initial statement, released on January 28, expressed gratitude for the students’ participation and dismissed the reports circulating on social media as “misinformation” and “disinformation.”
“We were portrayed as liars even though we had so much evidence and proof,” Dane said. “They can’t deny those.”
A follow-up statement on January 30 attempted to clarify its stance acknowledging the students’ experiences of long walking, fatigue, hunger, and dizziness.
“The administration considers this as a legitimate sentiment from the students who experienced these events,” it read.
The college said that it was only refuting reports of casualties, missing students, and bus fires and claimed that students chose to walk voluntarily.
The failure to follow the given directions caused sudden confusion and chaos among students.
Foundation day just tip of the iceberg
Amid growing concerns over the state of education at BCP, students are demanding administrative reforms, citing issues with alleged top-up fees, poor academic policies, and restrictions on their right to voice concerns without retaliation.
The lack of transparency regarding the P4,975 miscellaneous fee is part of the deeper issue, as AJ’s statement of account showed no clear breakdown, excluding extra charges for medical fees and non-participatory programs, which he is repeatedly charged for.
“Unexpected fees keep showing up, and we have no idea what they’re for—they just get included in my student balance,” Dane said, after being charged P1,000 without clear explanation, only a hunch it was for the Learning Management System (LMS).
Exam booklets, costing P10 for each subject, are an added price tag for students.
“If you have 8 subjects, that’s already P80,” AJ explained.
He said that some teachers forbid erasures on answer sheets, so students decide to buy extras. However, unused booklets cannot be reused because they are branded especially for prelims, midterms, or finals, which according to his peer, seem “unconventional.”
They demanded an end to mandatory tours with students calling for lower prices and to be made optional.
“It’s anti-student because it’s made a requirement, and we have no better option,” AJ said.
Calls for accountability, not closure
With the ongoing investigation into BCP, students said that their movement is not about shutting the school down but demanding accountability from the administration.
“We don’t want BCP to shut down. We call for accountability and transparency,” Dane said.
“The reason I enrolled in this college is for me to graduate and to help manage my financial difficulties. But with all these hidden fees and unfair policies, it’s like I’m struggling even more. I hope they can do better,” AJ said.
Renee Co of Kabataan Party-list is calling for a return of the fees paid for the trip.”The fees paid by the parents for this trip should be refunded, especially since many of their children were coerced into joining, being threatened with failing or getting blank grades if they didn’t.”
Meanwhile, the Quezon City Office of the Vice Mayor, along with aggrieved parents and students, will convene for a committee hearing on Feb. 4.
In an earlier press release, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte stated, “The safety of students is a matter that transcends jurisdictions,” and committed to a thorough investigation to prevent future incidents. (DAA, RVO)