Dan Palami. Randolph B. Leongson/INQUIRER.net
Seeking to improve University of the Philippines’ athletic program, the UP alumni have come together and established Nowhere To Go But UP Foundation to provide the needs of various varsity players as they proudly represent the school in numerous meets.
And one of the volunteers is UP men’s basketball team manager Dan Palami.
“We suddenly realized that it’s not just basketball. All teams have their own requirements,” Palami said.
Palami, one of the foundation’s founding members, also said that since they started reaching out to the athletes in 2014, the group has garnered support from fellow alumni, all of whom are eager to lend a hand to the school’s sports teams.
“The founding members of Nowhere To Go But UP, pusong mamon itong mga alumni,” he said. “We decided to try and help all these sports, all these athletes. To put some legitimacy in the organization, we decided to register ourselves as a foundation and be transparent so that the UP alumni would have the comfort level knowing that their donations are going to the right people.”
The foundation was formally introduced on Saturday in a simple function at UP Bahay ng Alumni which was attended by their fellow Iskos and athletes.
From helping the athletes when it comes to their meals to as much as providing buses to take them to the games, the foundation has been steadfast in aiding the Fighting Maroons on their needs.
That also goes with their academics, as any UP varsity needs to maintain passing grades for them to be eligible to play for the UAAP season.
“We have tutorial and mentoring classes. We have already signed a contract with our dreams foundation who are willing to give the time and effort to these athletes,” said Palami.
Palami also shared that the foundation is also planning to address the condition of the players’ dormitories.
“We’re working on UP athletes’ dormitories. Right now, they’re sharing it with other students, so maybe we’ll put specific dorms for the athletes,” he said.
Palami made it clear that the foundation’s aim is to solely be a supporting arm for the UP athletes, which has also unified the UP community as they try to be the main boosters for their varsity teams.
“It’s just to help the athletes. That the premise is when the UP alumni come together, things will happen. It has happened before in other aspects of our nation, pero ito naman basically, sa sports lang,” he said.