De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University are the two most favorite universities in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, according to a recent Social Weather Station (SWS) Sports survey.

The SWS survey conducted from March 30 to April 2, 2008 indicated that 12 percent of adult Filipinos chose La Salle as their favorite university while 10 percent cited Ateneo.

The two schools will be meeting head on at the UAAP Men’s Baskeball Finals this Sunday, with the La Salle Green Archers as the defending champions. The SWS survey, referred to all sports, not just basketball.

Following La Salle and Ateneo were University of Sto. Tomas (5 percent), University of the Philippines (4 percent), Far Eastern University (3 percent), and Adamson University (2 percent).

Most popular among classes
La Salle was most popular among the upper-middle class ABC, with 15 percent citing it as one of their most favorite universities in the UAAP, followed by FEU (10 percent), Ateneo (9 Percent), UST (8 percent), UE (7 percent), and UP (3 percent).

Among class D, or the masa, 14 percent cited La Salle, followed by Ateneo (12 percent), UST (6 percent), and UP (4 percent). FEU and UE were cited by 3 percent each, while AdU was cited by 2 percent.

Among class E, 7 percent cited La Salle, followed by Ateneo (4 percent), and UP (3 percent). FEU and AdU were tied at fourth place with 2 percent each, while UST and UE were cited by 1 percent each.

San Beda, Letran in NCAA
The same SWS survey also showed that perennial basketball finals contender San Beda College and Colegio de San Juan de Letran are the most popular schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Three percent of the respondents chose San Beda while 2 percent cited Letran.

Tied at third place were San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Jose Rizal University, and  Mapua Institute of Technology, with 1 percent each, followed by Philippine Christian University (0.4 percent).