In the post-pandemic era, the UAAP has witnessed a notable trend of blue-chip student-athletes transferring between universities to enhance their collegiate careers while seeking the best possible education.
Recent high-profile transfers include Kean Baclaan and Mason Amos to De La Salle University, Rey Remogat to UP, and previous seasons’ transfers such as Forthsky Padrigao and Kyle Paranada to UST.
In response to these transfers, the UAAP has introduced a new eligibility rule effective from the Academic Year 2024-2025.
This new regulation mandates a one-year residency period for transferees and also deducts two years from their overall eligibility.
League Executive Director Rebo Saguisag announced this change during the Season 87 press conference at Novotel Manila on September 4, Wednesday.
Despite the rule’s intention, some coaches have expressed concerns.
De La Salle University’s head coach Topex Robinson views the new regulation as unfair to student-athletes, impacting not only their athletic careers but also their educational pursuits.
Robinson argued that the rule restricts athletes’ freedom to make choices that are best for their careers and education.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“It’s, I guess unfair for a human being to lose the freedom to choose, not only where his basketball will take him, but also for his higher education. In that way, magdalawang-isip ang isang atleta, tao, o bata, na mag-iba ng desisyon,” Robinson said.
“Ang sa akin, yung education, yun ang I think is what’s being deprived of kasi magdadalawang-isip ka ‘eh. I will abide by the rules, but me as a human being, it’s taking away the freedom of another human being to choose what kind of life he wants.”
On the other hand, Far Eastern University’s debuting head coach Sean Chambers believes the new rule could foster greater success across all eight member schools by promoting parity.
Chambers emphasized the importance of maintaining balance within the league in light of recent transfers.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“I think if you are going to be stronger together and be better together, I think there has to be a way to keep parity within the league,” Chambers said.
“That’s the beauty of the UAAP. Since I’ve been watching, UST won, FEU won, Adamson won, NU won, so everybody… If you have the right year and season, everybody has the opportunity to be successful,” the decorated Alaska Aces import added.
For Ateneo’s Tab Baldwin, who has led the Blue Eagles for the past eight seasons, the new rule will not impact the team’s basketball operations.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“That’s an administrative rule that does not have anything to do with our operations and coaching. We’ll just comply,” said Baldwin.
