UAAP plans to have full events calendar

Volleyball, the marquee sport in the second semester of the school year, could find itself sharing the UAAP spotlight with basketball. —SHERWIN VARDELEON

Normalcy in schools and universities should come first, but that has not stopped the UAAP from hatching a plan to hold a full calendar of events for its 83rd season in the early part of 2021.

The UAAP usually divides its sporting events in the first and second semesters, but schools are still not allowed to open and the government is still restricting contact sports and mass gatherings.

A full slate of tournaments in the first six months of next year will be ready, though, in case the government allows all sports to happen again.

“We are planning to have a full calendar, but that’s dependent on the government and the schools themselves,” said Season 82 president Em Fernandez of Ateneo at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

“These are students. Normalcy in the schools will take precedent. Based on what the government stated—the Philippine Sports Commission said no tournaments until December of 2020—so we’re looking at the first quarter of 2021.”Fernandez suggested a similar format of a multisports event like the Southeast Asian Games where competitions are squeezed in a limited time. His pronouncements also allayed fears that the league will cut several sports from its calendar just like the NCAA, which will only have four events next season. “If the SEA Games can do it, what’s stopping the UAAP from doing the same thing? The volleyball season runs from February to May, what’s stopping the UAAP from running basketball side-by-side?” Fernandez said.

UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag, however, clarified that the scenario Fernandez presented could still change depending on the developments regarding the on-going coronavirus pandemic. INQ