PIA CAYETANO ASKS UAAP ON PROPOSED RULE CHANGE: 'WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?'

SENATOR Pia Cayetano reiterated her warning against the UAAP’s proposed amendments to its residency rules for student-athletes.

While the said change still keeps the original one-year residency for intra-league player movements, two playing years will now be stripped from a transferee rather than just one.

READ: UAAP transferees set to sit out one year, lose another year of eligibility

Following a SPIN.ph report last May on the proposed amendments, Cayetano, through a statement, implored the UAAP to ‘not do anything to circumvent the intent of RA 10676,’ or the Student-Athlete Protection Act she authored in 2015.

The senator then publicly shared her sentiments on Tuesday during the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship ceremonial ball turnover at the Mall of Asia Arena prior to the main match of the 2024 Volleyball Men’s Nations League (VNL) Manila leg opener between Canada and Japan.

For Cayetano, one question comes to mind when it comes to the UAAP’s plans to modify its residency rules: why?

PHOTO: SPIN.ph, Patrick Romero, UAAP, GMA Sports

"My understanding of what is on the table is, sige one (residency) year, they seem to be honoring that. But then, magtatanggal sila ng two years. Why would you do that to a budding athlete? Why? Why? Why? I do not understand," she said.

READ: Spate of UAAP, NCAA transfers re-ignite debate on one- or two-year residency

"Yes, I know that schools need to protect themselves, but like I said, what (should be) the primary goal? The welfare, the well-being of the student-athlete. So I implore that our decision-makers think about this before they make any drastic action that will affect the playing life of an athlete."

The senator detailed that the Student-Athlete Protection Act made sure not to jeopardize longtime league rules, but simply ensured the rights and welfare of young talents who are still in the formative years of their careers.

"The standard that was set many years ago, I was still in UP as a varsity player when they changed the playing years from four to five years. Matagal na ‘yang five years na ‘yan. Medyo ingrained na ‘yan, ‘wag na ‘yang pakialaman, right?"

"And the only thing we did du’n sa ating Student-Athlete Protection Law was we protected that by saying kung magta-transfer ka ng school, one year of eligibility (‘yung mababawas), matagal na rin ‘yun. Ang pinaglaban natin is ‘wag madagdagan ng isa pang taon to not make it two years. So that’s a law."

Cayetano added: "And these athletes, by the way, are future Philippine team [members]. So ‘pag binangko mo ‘yun, paano na ‘yung improvement niya?"

Investigation in aid of legislation a possibility

Landmark cases of former UAAP student-athletes Jerie Pingoy (basketball), Hubert Cani (basketball), and Mikee Bartolome (swimming) were among the precursors to Cayetano’s forwarding of RA 10676.

And for the senator, should history repeat itself where formal discussions won't get anywhere, she is ‘ready to do (her) job’ and take matters to the Senate once more.

"That is always a possibility in the Senate. That’s part of my job. What gave birth to the Student-Athlete Protection Law was precisely a situation where a student-athlete from UP (Mikee Bartolome) was being prevented to join the swimming team as a freshman," said Cayetano.

"Nakiusap ako, hindi nadaan sa magandang pakiusap, eh ‘di kailangang magka-hearing, ‘di ba? ‘Di pa rin nadaan sa hearing, eh ‘di kailangang gumawa ng batas. So kung ‘yun ang kailangang gawin, I am ready to do my job."

Still, ultimately, Cayetano hopes that the UAAP will do right by the student-athletes and urged the league not to penalize its players.

"If they need to put policies that prevent certain things that they want to happen, alam ko ‘yung mga concerns like poaching, then address that. But don’t penalize the athlete," she said.

"But like I said, I respect and I implore that the parties involved come together and decide what is in the best interest of the student-athlete," she added.

2024-06-19T06:17:11Z dg43tfdfdgfd