BASED ON the recommendations of its amendments committee, the board of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) approved a revised residency rule for high school UAAP players in a 5-2 vote last Tuesday, March 2. The revised rule states that a high school player from a UAAP school must serve a two-year residency if he or she chooses to transfer to a different UAAP school for collegiate studies. The original rule required only a year of residency.
The new rule also does not allow the waiving of the full residency requirement by the student-athlete’s original UAAP school, which allows for the reduction of the residency requirement from two years to one.
The two-year residency rule, however, does not affect the maximum of five playing years allowed in the league for any player.
News flash
A news blast by Spin.ph broke the news first. “Sa college, two years din eh. (It’s also two years for college.),” said UAAP secretary-general and amendments committee member Junel Baculi. “We wanted it to be uniform.”
Baculi was referring to the two-year residency rule that is observed by college players who transfer to a different UAAP school. If waived by their teams, however, players only serve one year of residency, which was the case for Blue Eagles second-string point guard Nico Elorde, who moved from La Salle after Season 73.
The modified rule will be implemented this coming UAAP Season 76, but news of it has already spread on the Internet, eliciting much criticism and scorn from athletes, alumni, fans and even Senator Pia Cayetano.
Media outlets GMA News Online, Rappler and ABS-CBN separately reported on the maelstrom of ire and mockery expressed on Twitter. Many poked fun at the new rule as the hashtag #NewUAAPRule trended in the country.
Aside from Kiefer Ravena, fellow Blue Eagles teammates and other Ateneo athletes sounded off their opinions on the matter. Renowned sportswriter Rick Olivares expressed frustration at the UAAP Board for such a move. AKTV and La Salle’s Tony Atayde, as well as Philippine Daily Inquirer assistant Sports Editor Francis TJ Ochoa, also chimed in on the discussion on Twitter.
Something fishy
Many were quick to exclaim that this new rule is due to the pirating of talent or recruits among UAAP schools.
By the way things are shaping up, it looks like vaunted high school stalwart and Baby Tamaraw Jerie Pingoy might not wear the Blue and White next year after all. After the basketball tournament, the two-time UAAP juniors’ basketball Most Valuable Player expressed desire to join the Ateneo Blue Eagles after he graduates from the FEU-FERN College this March.
The revised residency rule means that Pingoy and all incoming college freshman who want to transfer to another UAAP school for college would have to wait until 2015 or Season 78 before they could actually play in the UAAP. Should they then choose to play for the full five years that are allowed under the current rules, they will be in college for a total of seven years.
If Pingoy decides to come to Katipunan, he can only play by 2015. If he decides to stay in FEU, he can start next season.
Problems ahead
In the long run, though, a myriad of problems seem bound to stem from this rule. For one, UAAP schools with gender-exclusive high schools face clear disadvantages.
The Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team, for example, will find difficulty in its recruitment since the Ateneo High School is an all-boys school, compared to De La Salle University’s co-ed high school counterpart, De La Salle Zobel.
“The rule would affect us and La Salle mostly,” shared College Athletics Coordinator Benjo Afuang through text. “But if you think about it, it becomes unfair for the other schools, particularly UST.”
Another concern raised was how the rule limits high school student-athletes’ discernment for their college of choice, thus taking away possible opportunities for them in other universities.
“Basketball is a way of living, a way of life. Then you let the kids stop because of transferring schools?” tweeted Ravena. Fellow UAAP stars Nico Salva, UST Growling Tiger Jeric Fortuna and La Salle Green Booters keeper Patrick Deytu also tweeted how this new rule infringes on the student’s right to choose where to study.
Aside from all the banter and negative reaction on the new residency rule, many on Twitter also voiced out that it might be time for Ateneo to return to the NCAA.
Further reports showed that Ateneo and the University of the Philippines voted against the amendment while National University, being this year’s host school, abstained from voting. All other UAAP schools voted in favor of the amendment.
With reports from Mateo L. Escueta
