UAAP tackles ‘residency’ kink

The UAAP Board is set to “explain the wisdom” of a new league rule when the Senate holds a hearing Thursday on the controversial two-year residency requirement that Sen. Pia Cayetano described as a “cruel and unjust punishment” for athletes.

Cayetano, chair of the Senate youth committee, called the hearing after the board ruled early this month that foreigners and UAAP high school players transferring to a member-school for college must sit out for two years.

The rule, an amendment of the one-year residency requirement, covers all league sports.

“We’re going to explain the wisdom behind the rule,” said UAAP president Nilo Ocampo of host National University. “We know that she (Cayetano) means well and she’s just making sure to protect the rights of the … students.”

Ocampo also clarified that the new rule, set to be implemented next season starting in June, remains open to amendments.

Among those to be likely covered by the new residency period are Jerie Pingoy, the back-to-back UAAP juniors MVP from Far Eastern U, and Ben Mbala, the Cameroonian center of Cebu champ Southwestern University.

Pingoy is set to play for Ateneo in college, while Mbala will transfer to La Salle.