San Beda still open for UAAP transfer
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 07/08/2009 4:19 PM
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MANILA -- While saying it’s not closing the door for a possible transfer to the other league, San Beda rector Fr. Mat de Jesus, OSB, said they’re happy to be in the NCAA.
“San Beda is grateful to hear that from Mr. Montinola,” said de Jesus, the league president whose school is hosting the ongoing 85th NCAA season, in statement yesterday.
“But as current NCAA host, San Beda College plans to make this year the most memorable and exciting as possible.”
Management Committee chair Jose Mari Lacson also of San Beda likewise said they’re happy to be in the oldest and one of the most prestigious leagues in the land today.
“We’re happy in the NCAA,” said Lacson, who said the league as a whole not just San Beda was complimented by the UAAP’s planned expansion.
De Jesus said will only open the door to any possibility if San Beda will gain university status from the Commission on Higher Education in the next few months.
“When it becomes a university within one year, San Beda will keep open its option for UAAP,” said de Jesus.
These statements came after UAAP president Anton Montinola of Season 72 host Far Eastern U bared the league’s plan of expanding next year, which came right after the NCAA opened its doors to three guest teams—Arellano U, Angeles U Foundation and Emilio Aguinaldo College.
The 85-year-old NCAA will eventually accept three regular members next year, which may not necessarily be the same three guest teams currently playing in Season 85.
Montinola was quick to point at San Beda as the most likely school to be accepted as the UAAP’s ninth regular member school.
It’s possible, maybe we’ll go nine teams, maybe 10 next year,” said Montinola. “Apparently, the school that comes to mind without alienating the other schools interested would be San Beda.”
Montinola was actually impressed by San Beda’s sports program not just in basketball where it’s one of the best in the country today.
“They’re strong in all sports, they’re alumni is always behind them and supporting them, they have a serious basketball program that would enhance the popularity of the UAAP,” said Montinola.
“With them around, we would have old rivalries that would be rekindled and create new ones like UST-San Beda, FEU-San Beda, La Salle-San Beda, things like that.
“We’ve experienced it, in fact, because we played in the pre-season against San Beda,” he added.
It can be recalled that the UAAP last accepted a new team nearly three decades ago since La Salle jumped ship from the NCAA to the UAAP in the early 80s.
Since then, the UAAP has stuck to eight teams.
But for San Beda or any other school to get into the UAAP, it has to pass strict guidelines and submit the needed requirements like paying the entry fee and showing it has strong fan support.
“But the most important requirement is that the school must be approved by all eight member schools unanimously. If only one school objects, then they have a problem,” said Montinola.
De Jesus said all the decision will have to be decided by the whole San Beda community.
“Ultimately, it will be the entire Bedan Community to decide on this: administration, faculty and staff, students, alumni, parents and other stakeholders,” he said.
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