On sabbatical leave

I am away for my annual sabbatical leave. My commentaries on issues of the day will resume on the 11^th of June, 2010.

2010 Philippine Collegiate Championship Games

The Philippine Collegiate Championship Games, the annual search for the best collegiate teams in the country, is a series of nationwide multi-level tournaments.

Competitions start at the “mother leagues,” with top performing teams advancing to the next levels: the regional championships, zonal qualifying games, and the “Sweet 16” Finals.

These competitions are organized, conducted and managed by the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL), a non-profit duly registered entity affiliated with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

PCCL and SBP entered into an agreement to institutionalize the annual search for the best collegiate teams in the country. The coverage was broadened to include all the collegiate leagues nationwide competing in multi-level tournament. Starting as an invitational, the Philippine Collegiate Championship Games now involves over 200 teams from 27 “mother leagues” nationwide.

Rewards for outstanding performance

Sponsors of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) games provide prize awards in the total amount of P1.9 million in the form of athletic items, scholarship awards, team and individual trophies/medals, gift certificates, and cash. This is the biggest prize awards in Philippine collegiate competitions.

Additionally, the eventual national collegiate champion for the year holds the Manuel V. Pangilinan Perpetual Bronze Sculpture, “Abutin Ang Tagumpay”, symbol of collegiate basketball supremacy for the year.

At present, Ateneo Blue Eagles (2009 champion) and De La Salle Green Archers (2008 champion) are listed in the MVP Perpetual Bronze Sculpture.

Bringing competitive games to localities

PCCL conducts games in various localities nationwide involving local teams and teams coming from different areas and leagues. The objective is to promote competition across boundaries and help in developing players’ talents and skills by expanding their competitive environment.

For the 2010 games, PCCL will hold the regional championships, the qualifying zonal games, and some of the first round games of the “Sweet 16” Finals at several provincial locations.

To further support collegiate basketball development at provincial and regional levels, PCCL is giving the leagues at these various locations the opportunity to generate funds by hosting these games, which undoubtedly the local fans will find exciting and highly competitive.

Sponsorship support

Being a non-profit organization, PCCL depends on sponsorship assistance to funding the conduct of the Philippine Collegiate Championship games yearly. This year’s major sponsors are PLDT, Smart and ABS-CBN with the participation of Philippine Star as the media partner.

The funding support was boosted with the personal commitment of Manuel V. Pangilinan, SBP president, who believes that this annual competition to determine the best collegiate teams in the country will further spur the development of local talents.

Pangilinan shares the view that players in the provinces need to expand their competitive environment and deserve more exposure in order to bloom and become future stars. In recognition of his all out support, the symbol of collegiate supremacy, “Abutin Ang Tagumpay,” is named as the Manuel V. Pangilinan Perpetual Trophy.

Watch this space for updates on the 2010 Philippine Collegiate Championship Games or visit www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.