In a break from recent NCAA Opening Ceremony tradition, Season 93 hosts San Sebastian College-Recoletos did not have a guest speaker to inspire the students. Instead, the school invited icons from each NCAA member school to reignite the passion of their community.
“The purpose of this is to acknowledge the fruit of the NCAA. These are coming from the NCAA schools and we did not have one person talking [for the commencement speech], a guest that will give a message to the students,” NCAA policy board president Rev. Fr. Nemesio Tolentin, OAR shared.
“This time we invited the icons of their institution because their presence mean more than the words to be given by a certain visitor. Also, we also recognized their contributions to their fields.”
The icons that represented each school were coach Vergel Meneses and PBA great Philip Cezar for JRU; Gilas standout Raymond Almazan and multi-time PBA champion Kerby Raymundo for Letran; coaches Chito Victolero and Atoy Co for Mapua; entrepreneur James Tan Sy for San Beda; PBA players John Pinto and Jiovani Jalalon for Arellano; Sunday Salvacion and Jonathan Grey for Saint Benilde; Gary David and DJ Jhaiho for Lyceum; Christ Mejos and coach Ariel Sison for EAC; Dr. Karl Marcader and Gen. Rosendo Dial for Perpetual; and multi-time SEA Games gold medalist Rommel Adducul, coach Egay Macaraya, and Boy Mora, PhD for the hosts.
“For San Sebastian, we included one of our greats, Boy Mora. He was part of the first championship of San Sebastian but he was not only successful in the field of sports but also in the government,” Fr. Tolentin said about their honored guest Mora.
“He is an inspiration for all the athletes because he showed that after playing, you should continue to learn. He is an inspiration for all of us.”
And Tolentin is hoping that the NCAA icons not only inspire their community, but also the entire Philippines.
“The purpose of our theme is to reignite every body, to become greater in their lives.”
