Sports, education officials to push for sweeping reforms

Photos from Rene Baterbonia’s Facebook, MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Sports officials on Wednesday pledged sweeping reforms in athlete safety and coaching standards following the deaths of Ateneo basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, while the UAAP said it will continue gathering information before determining any possible action.

The commitments were announced during a special stakeholders’ panel convened by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), where officials stressed that the initiative was not intended to serve as a fact-finding investigation.

READ: Ateneo’s Rene Baterbonia, Divine Adili die in drowning incident

“This is not a fact-finding investigation,” PSC chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said. “Our role is to understand what happened and agree that this should not happen.”

Among the panel members were officials from the national basketball federation, UAAP and Commission on Higher Education.

Gregorio said the PSC would provide P250,000 in financial assistance to each of the families of Baterbonia and Adili.

READ: UAAP won’t rush action with probes ongoing after Ateneo deaths

The stakeholders’ panel issued a statement calling for stronger safeguards across Philippine sports and renewed support for the proposed Sports Coaching Act under House Bill 2631.

“Coaches wield tremendous influence over the lives and development of athletes,” the panel said. “We support the proposed Sports Coaching Act and will push for legislation regulating the coaching profession.”

The panel also vowed to establish stronger safety standards, risk management protocols and emergency response systems throughout Philippine sports. The group added that the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili should serve as a catalyst for meaningful reform.

“The most meaningful way to honor Rene and Divine is to commit ourselves to legacy reforms that build a sporting environment worthy of every athlete who entrusts their dreams to it,” the panel said.

“Let the memory of Rene and Divine fuel our resolve to exact accountability where it is due, to protect our athletes and to make sure that this tragedy never happens again.”

Coach’s tribute

Earlier in the day, former Ateneo de Davao coach Jess Linus Evangelio paid tribute to Baterbonia during the latter’s wake in Quezon City.

“Rene touched so many lives through his kindness, hard work and love for the game,” Evangelio wrote in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rebo Saguisag said the league was still awaiting official reports before deciding whether sanctions would be imposed in connection with the incident.

“We go where the evidence leads,” Saguisag said. “We are now in the process of gathering information and awaiting official reports that are being prepared.”

Saguisag reiterated that the league would observe due process and consider the findings of relevant authorities before reaching any conclusions.

Asked about the possibility of sanctions against Ateneo men’s basketball coach Tab Baldwin, Saguisag said such decisions fall primarily under the jurisdiction of the university.

“Any sanction is entirely up to the member school,” he said.

“There is no basketball season at the moment, so there is nothing to suspend. As for preventive suspension, I don’t know whether or not the institution will do that. It’s their prerogative.”