CHED Calls for Assurance of Safety of Student-Athletes

"Safety of our students is the topmost concern." This is what Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Prospero de Vera said on Wednesday as CHED joined the Department of Health, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) in pleading for the collegiate league and team officials to make sure that all student-athletes are safe and are strictly following health and safety protocols amid the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. 

The call by CHED came after two University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) teams were revealed to be allegedly holding training in a bubble-like environment- similar to what the National Basketball Association (NBA) has been doing. 

Last week, CJ Cansino abruptly left the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers after he was removed from the team and then made the jump to Diliman and set to play for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. Cansino was removed from the team owing to what the team called as a defiance of authority as Cansino wanted to leave the "bubble" that was set up at the hometown of Coach Aldin Ayo in Sorsogon. UST is set to complete its internal investigation with regards to the bubble allegation against their men's basketball team who overachieved last year when they finished as runner-up to eventual champions, Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles.  The school will forward the result of the investigation to the UAAP during their board meeting that is set on Friday.

The bubble trouble in Sorsogon hit the news, reports that the women's volleyball team of the National University allegedly held their own bubble training in their Manila and Calamba campus.

If proven that they've violated the joint administrative order that prohibits amateur teams such as the Growling Tigers and the Lady Bulldogs to hold practices, both schools could face sanctions. 

On the part of the PSC thru National Training Director Marc Velasco, "The PSC will always push to uphold the issuances regarding sports and physical activity and we are happy that CHED is a steady partner when it comes sports in universities and colleges."

Photo is from Manila Bulletin