UST athletes won’t lose scholarships despite cost-cutting, says school

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — University of Santo Tomas assured it will continue to provide its athletes with scholarships, the school’s Institute of Physical Education (IPEA) director Rev. Fr. Jannel Novino Abogado, O.P. said Wednesday.

In a statement, Abogado guaranteed that the athletes’ scholarships will be spared from the school’s cost-cutting measures brought about by the coronavirus disease pandemic.

“In line with the statement made by UST’s Rector Magnificus Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P. — in his letter to all the stakeholders of the university dated May 26, 2020 which guarantees that there will be a ‘continuation of the university scholarships granted during the second term of the academic year 2019-2020 until December 2020,’ all scholarships conferred by IPEA to its athletes during the second term of the academic year 2019-2020 shall be carried on until December 2020,” the statement read.

“Therefore there shall be no athlete who will be released from scholarship this coming first term of A.Y. 2020-2021.”

The statement came on the heels of a report by the school’s official publication The Varsitarian that 30 UST student-athletes will lose their scholarship programs while others will be relegated to the “training pool” to keep 50 percent of their scholarships.

“Only the Santo Tomas Academic Scholarship and San Martin de Porres Equity Scholarship will be offered in A.Y. 2020-2021, according to the Office for Admissions website,” the story on Varsitarian.net read.

“The Santo Domingo de Guzman scholarship, the grant given to student-athletes and those who excel in music and arts, will not be offered. The San Lorenzo Ruiz scholarship which offers tuition grants in exchange for assistantship hours will not be available as well.”