Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
The UAAP Board enlightened the public as to why cash prizes for podium finishers’ in this year’s UAAP Cheerdance Competition were significantly lower as compared to previous editions of the midseason spectacle.R
Rebo Saguisag, executive director of the UAAP, cleared that the cash drop is for the benefit of all UAAP member schools.
“The Cheerdance Grant is supposedly for the benefit of the cheerdance program of all the member-universities. A bigger chunk is now distributed among the eight member schools of focusing on the top three finishers,” Saguisag said in a statement.
Fans on Saturday were surprised with the sharp drop of cash incentives, which were cut down to a staggering 86% compared to the previous season, for this year’s top three finishers.
The National University Pep Squad, which shone the brightest in the competition, was given a cash prize of P50,000 while first and second runner-up Far Eastern University Cheering Squad and Adamson Pep Squad received P30,000 and P20,000, respectively.
Last year, the champion squad was awarded a whopping P340,000 while the second and third placers brought home P200,000 and P140,000, respectively.
“It is likewise a move more consistent with the mission of the UAAP to promote amateur sports among the students of the member universities where the primary motivation is the pursuit of school pride instead of monetary gain,” Saguisag said.
“It is a reminder that in the UAAP, you do not always have to finish first in order to win.”