UAAP 2-year residency rule may be junked

MANILA, Philippines — The UAAP may be forced to strike out its controversial two-year residency rule as a proposed new measure by Sen. Pia Cayetano has moved closer to getting passed in the Senate.

Senate Bill No. 2226 or the “Student-Athletes Protection Act,” sponsored by Cayetano, had been endorsed for plenary discussion after 14 senators signed Committee Report No. 29 last week.

Cayetano, in a sponsorship speech last Monday, pushed for the passage of the bill which includes the scrapping of the UAAP’s residency rule that requires a UAAP high school player who transfers to another member-school for college to sit out for two years.

“It is my simple desire that the student-athletes get what they deserve: The opportunity to study and play in the school of their choice,” Cayetano, a former University of the Philippines volleyball team captain, said.

Cayetano said SBN 2226 also aims to regulate the benefits that schools offer and prohibit other incentives “which are contrary to the nature of amateur sports” and “may result to the commercialization” of student-athletes.

“Pirating outstanding athletes from high school to college has become rampant because of offers of extravagant luxuries,” said Cayetano.

Sources said the UAAP intends to amend the two-year residency rule after next year.

Other signatories of the committee report were Senators Sonny Angara, Teofisto Guingona III, Loren Legarda, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Francis Escudero, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Aquilino Pimentel III, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.

Among the players affected by the residency rule is former UAAP junior MVP Jerie Pingoy, who transferred from FEU to Ateneo.