THE country’s top collegiate leagues are bound to send their varsity athletes back to face-to-face training but aren’t about to open their doors wide open despite the significant easing of health and safety protocols.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Wednesday approved the requests of colleges and universities for their athletes to return to the gym, a welcome development as Metro Manila and most of the country are down to Alert Level 2 in safety protocols.
But both the National Collegiate Athletic Association and University Athletic Association of the Philippines are adamant about open training and competition.
“As of now, the safest way to do it is inside the bubble and then follow health and safety protocols,” said College of Saint Benilde’s Dax Castellano, management committee chairman of NCAA Season 97. “It’s still the ideal setup, whether it’s a pure bubble training or closed-circuit setup to avoid a possible surge.”
“But before resuming bubble training, we have to seek approval from the CHED, sworn statement from the school or a proof that we’ll adhere to all the safety protocols,” Castellano said. “Then you have health declaration forms and you have to write the local government unit where you’ll be resuming training.”
The NCAA, Castellano said, sees a February opening of it’s 97th season but only basketball, volleyball and online chess and taekwondo will be played.
“The other sports will be played perhaps in 2023,” he said. The NCAA has 11 sports in its annual program before the pandemic struck.
Adamson University athletic director Fr. Aldrin Suan, CM, also welcomed the CHED approval as he bared the UAAP’s plan to also open in February but only in men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and cheerdancing.
“It’s a good development for collegiate sports,” said Suan. “But we will be in bubble training too and during the competition, but it may change depending on the situation.”
He said CHED representatives will visit the university on Thursday morning to inspect their venues.
CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III told BusinessMirror also on Wednesday that the commission’s decision to allow face-to-face training was in response to the request of colleges and universities who stressed the pace of vaccination especially in Metro Manila is reaching full level.
“What I was told by UAAP and NCAA is that they will be starting training by December in basketball and volleyball,” de Vera said. “But it is up to them when and where to hold their respective training and competitions.
De Vera said the schools must establish health and hygiene protocols that include keeping a monitoring log book, providing personal hygiene kits and following a regular disinfection schedule.
The Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee stood on the same page in allowing national athletes to train face-to-face, while the Philippine Basketball Association hinted at returning to Metro Manila and allowing fans to watch the games live in the forthcoming Governors’ Cup.