CHEd Suspends School Tours After Tanay Bus Accident
On Tuesday (February 21, 2017), school educational tours were suspended by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) after the Tanay bus accident.
CHEd has suspended school tours after the tragic bus accident happened in Tanay, Rizal province last Monday (February 20, 2017). The tourist bus was on their way for education trip when it loses it brakes and slammed into an electrical post, which killed at least 15 people.
The victims were identified as a staff member, driver, and 13 students of Bestlink College of the Philippines. The 15th fatality was rushed to Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center after sustaining injuries from the bus crash. She was identified as Jasmine Samauna.
The accident injured about 50 students and four of them were still in critical condition at the medical center. The bus was carrying 62 people, according to Barlito Bari Jr. Of Tanay Disaster response office, but the list appears that there were only 58 people.
“The Tanay tragedy is a reminder that we must be very strict in regulating the use of public transportation for school-sponsored trips,” said by CHEd Commissioner Prospero de Vera quoted by Inquirer.
De Vera said that although field trips can give more knowledge and learning experience, the safety of the students must be first considered and ensured by the authorities and school officials.
CHEd also imposed a moratorium on an educational trip and school tours while the investigation on the bus accident was still going on. Under CHEd Memorandum No. 17, Sec. 2012, schools were required to submit the report regarding the schedule, purpose cost, and destination of school tours a month before every academic year class opening.
The memorandum also recommends that educational trips should be near to minimize the cost. The family of the victims would receive an initial amount of P50, 000. It came from the P750, 000 bus owner’s insurance fee, the family of the victims could claim the insurance by submitting the required documents.