There are plans to stage competitions in Season 84 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in the first half of 2022.
Executive director, Atty. Rene “Rebo” Saguisag said he is confident that this can happen in the early months of the coming year.
Saguisag explained that the league has been working with several government agencies to come up with a protocol that will allow collegiate sports activities to finally get going in 2022.
“The UAAP has been working with the Commission on Higher Education, the Philippine Sports Commission, the Games and Amusement Board and the Department of Health in coming up with a return to training protoctol,” said Saguisag on Facebook Live.
Positive developments, most of it involving the availability of vaccines, is making it possible for the league to think about the resumption of many events in the league.
“Nakalatag na iyun, with the protocols. And now, you can add the vaccine requirements. And whatever we come up with, it's going to be stringent,” added Saguisag.
He explained that there are now plans to have training bubbles that will take place in each of the campuses of the eight member schools.
“We can probably have this in separate schools, if you look at the environment and the recent success of Gilas Pilipinas,” said Saguisag, who added that leagues took note of the training done by the Philippine national men’s basketball team at the Inspire Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Inspire Academy is part of the National University school system.
Last December, organizers decided to skip a season and cancel the games of the 83rd UAAP competitions.
A plan was made to instead push through with the season after year 83 was called for the second straight time because of restrictions improved to slow the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Efforts to restart the season within schoolyear 2021-2022 was made after they formally entered into a broadcast partnership agreement with Cignal TV yesterday.
He added the decision of the board will affect the eligibility of student-athletes, and they will tackle this issue soon.
The last time that the UAAP had a series of cancellations was in 1941, following the break out of World War II.
There were no activities for the next five years, before the competitions resumed in 1946.