MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Pia Cayetano on Wednesday launched an online petition asking the UAAP to reverse a rule that requires high school transferees to undergo a two-year residency period before playing.

The new UAAP rule, which has elicited criticism from UAAP players and fans alike, requires athletes of a UAAP high school to sit out for two years if he/she transfers to a different UAAP school in college.

Cayetano on March 8 wrote an open letter to the UAAP Board, wherein she said the new rule was unconstitutional. The Senate will also tackle the controversial rule on April 1.

“The two-year residency rule curtails the freedom of young student athletes to choose which college he or she wants to study in and play for,” Cayetano wrote in her petition on Change.org. 

“It denies them of their rights to develop their full potential, and goes against the Constitutional mandate to promote sports, especially among our youth,” she added.

Cayetano said the new rule was an “unreasonable limit” on student-athletes’ freedom of choice as well as their academic freedom.

“Please join me and call on the UAAP Board to reverse this unjust rule, and support our student athletes instead of holding them back,” she said.

As of posting, 104 people have signed the petition.