IT was a Saturday (Nov. 14, 2015) to remember, for students, athletes and member-schools of the Laguna Colleges, Universities Athletic Association, especially for host school University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD)-Calamba, as they celebrate the league’s third year despite the many challenges it faced in its last two editions.
The Altas-Calamba, as host school, prepared a colorful program that started with the traditional parade of athletes and league officials, led by founding chairman Leonardo “Ding” Andres,also the reigonal commissioner for the Basketball Association of the Philippines for Region IV.
Aside from Andres, also present during the opening rites were UPHSD-Calama SPER coordinator Ms. Meyenberg Austria, honorary chairman Edna Andres, UPLB Dept. of Human Kinetics chairperson Ms. Naomi Enriquez and other school officials.
Also gracing the occasion as special guest was no less than Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez, who also performed the ceremonial toss signalling the start of the baskeball tournament.
The UPHSD students, through the guidance of Ms. Austria, later prepared a cultural show to the delight of the crowd. The brief opening ceremony was capped by the ceremonial toss by league officials signalling the start of the basketball and volleyball competitions at the UPHSD’s covered court between the host school and players from the Univesity of the Philippines-Los Baños.
UPHSD school director Arnaldo De Guzman, also welcomed the participants at the start of the meet.
De Guzman, a former varsity basketball player who also dabbles in bowling and table tennis (pingpong), said that as a founding member of the league, UPHSD-Calamba has committed to join the league’s sports events, since the school itself has been very active in promoting sports and fitness among the entire Perpetual community, which boasts of seven campuses across Luzon.
“As our chairman (Tony Tamayo) said, a university without a school program can not be called a university. This is why our focus really is to promote and to support sports,” said De Guzman, who was a professor in the Binan campus, an assistant school director at the Generam Mariano Alvares Perpeutal campus, before coming in board as school director of UPHSD-Calamba in 2008.
He added that the UPHSD believes that sports is a good way to build character among students. “Ang sports ay malaking tulong para mahubog ang karakter ng mga bata. Kaya very happy kami na maryoong LACUAA. In fact, isa kami sa mga founding members ng liga,” De Guzman added.
The amiable school director also shared that the school continues to find ways to provide better sports facilities, including its newest facility, a brand-new swimming pool and soon a tennis courts. It also recently renovated its covered court that is used for basketball and volleyball games.
De Guzman also said that the school also supports its athletes by providing them full scholarships. “Depende siyempre ‘yan sa kakayahan ng eskwelahan, but as much as possible, talagang ibinibigay namin ang suporta para sa kanila.
With UPHSD as host-school, expect LACUAA to soar even higher on its third year. ARMAN ARMERO