BACOLOD City Councilor Renecito Novero, chairperson of committee on education, said colleges and universities in the city should not make field trips mandatory to its students.
"I don't see any law that says it is mandatory. It should not be made a mandatory thing. They should make it voluntary," he said.
Novero issued the statement after college students, who were on their way to a National Service Training Program field work, were among those killed when their bus crashed into an electric post in Tanay, Rizal.
The bus was loaded with more than 50 students with their instructor.
"We are saddened by the accident and hopefully it will not happen again," Novero said.
He added that he is not against field trips, but said the schools should take an extra care in choosing the buses and drivers to avoid similar incidents.
"The field trip is part of the educational pursuit to give them additional knowledge or experiences," he added.
Last week, some colleges in Bacolod already cancelled their field trips.
