MANILA – Cheering squads of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) member schools are expected to hold a spectacle as the cheerleading competition gets underway next Wednesday at The Arena in San Juan City.

Ten teams will vie for top honors as well as the cash prize worth P90,000, according to a report on The Philippine Star.

The second placer will get P55,000 while the third placer will receive P45,000, courtesy of Samsung.

Defending champion Jose Rizal University will try to score back-to-back wins.

University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and Mapua Institute of Technology, meantime, are said to be top contenders.

The other cheering squads come from Colegio de San Juan de Letran, College of St. Benilde, San Beda College, San Sebastain College-Recoletos as well as from guest schools Angeles University Foundation, Arellano University and Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Changes

The NCAA revealed that the Season 85 cheerleading competition is different from the league’s previous tilts.

“We’re excited because we have instituted some changes that should make this year’s edition more exciting than before,” NCAA cheerleading committee chair Herny Atayde of St. Benilde said in a statement.

The NCAA has announced its tie-up with the National Cheerleading Championship (NCC) in organizing the event.

“We’re using the same guidelines and rules implemented internationally so we’re really excited to be part of this exciting event,” said NCC national director and head coach Paula dela Llana-Nuna in a statement.

Meanwhile, before the cheerleading competition kicks off on Saturday, a cheerleading camp will be held on Sunday at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gym in Manila.

The camp aims to educate participants on cheerleading safety measures plus other aspects of the sport.