Athletic scholarships stay until end of the year—UST

University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Wednesday assured that it will continue to honor scholarships of student-athletes, debunking reports that several varsity teams will be cut as part of belt-tightening measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

UST’s Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (Ipea) director Rev. Fr. Ermito de Sagon vowed that the school’s cost-cutting moves won’t impact student-athletes’ scholarship grants until December this year.

A report from the University’s official student publication, the Varsitarian, said that about 30 athletes will no longer be given scholarships even as the government has yet to give the go signal to resume classes.

“In line with the statement made by UST’s Rector Magnificus Rev. Fr. Richard Ang OP 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 (AY) 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,” it said.

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