Photo by August dela Cruz
MANILA—An unprecedented gathering of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) athletes takes the spotlight when Season 74 rolls off Saturday at the Marikina Sports Park.
Over 3,700 players in 15 sports from the eight member-schools will parade in an Olympic-style opening ceremony as the country’s premier varsity league officially kicks off at 4 p.m.
“We want to show that there’s more to the league than just basketball,” said UAAP president Ricky Palou of host Ateneo
The grand spectacle, with the theme “All Heart. All Out,” will also feature a torch-lighting ceremony, the unfurling of a 60 x 30 feet flag and performances by the 165-strong Blue Babble Battalion and Ateneo’s choirs and dancers.
Energen-Pilipinas youth coach and former PBA cager Olsen Racela, also one of Ateneo’s most successful alumni athletes, will carry the torch and light the cauldron.
“The ceremony will be a big production number that will cover the entire field,” said league secretary treasurer Emmanuel Fernandez.
University of Santo Tomas, the overall champion in the last 13 seasons, will bring in the largest contingent of athletes at 627.
A fireworks display and a free concert featuring top local bands Sponge Cola, The Itchyworms and Kjwan will wrap up the ceremony.
The league board and school representatives led by Ateneo president Fr. Jett Villarin, SJ, will grace the event that also tapped 600 program participants and 8,000 students and alumni.
The event organizers said that only a typhoon will cancel the ceremony as some 4,000 color-coded umbrellas will be on standby.
“The serious work started in January this year and the actual rehearsals began in April,” said Benjo Afuang, the opening ceremony project head.
University of the East will also field a large number of athletes at 512, followed by the University of the Philippines at 425.
Also joining the parade are La Salle (417), Adamson (300), Far Eastern University (300) and National University (260).
Other performers include the 30-piece Blue Symphony, Company of Ateneo Dancers, Ateneo Junior Marketing Association Dancers, Ateneo Residence Students Association Dormers Dancers, Indak (Ateneo High dancers) and the Ateneo Boys’Choir, Glee Club and Chamber Singers
Basketball action fires off Sunday with FEU and La Salle battling at 1 p.m. and Ateneo tangling with Adamson at 3 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.