Shakey's Super League schools reap financial rewards

MANILA, Philippines — National University wasn’t the lone champion in the third Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship.

All 17 other teams from the UAAP and NCAA also felt like it after receiving a boatload of incentives from Shakey’s Pizza Asia Adventures Inc. (SPAVI) through the SSL bundle promos during the course on Wednesday at the Shakey’s Malate in Manila.

SSL raised a total of P13,936,050 in cash — the highest in three seasons — made possible by patrons, fans, students and families who donated P50 to their chosen schools in every SSL bundle promo purchase.

Arellano University gained the lion’s share of the harvest, receiving P1,759,358 that would be a big boost in developing its sports program as one of SSL’s visions in helping all UAAP and NCAA squads.

Jose Rizal University placed second with P912,008 with St. Benilde (P896,758), Letran (P855,908) and Emilio Aguinaldo College (P814,008) completing the Top Five in the official awarding of checks led by SPAVI general manager Oliver Sicam with CEO Dr. Philip Ella Juico and president Dr. Ian Laurel of SSL organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc. (ACES).

San Beda (P813,008), San Sebastian College-Recoletos (P730,458), Mapua (P724,408), Adamson (P718,908), Ateneo (P701,958), University of the Philippines (P701,908), runner-up La Salle (P651,908) and Lyceum of the Philippines University (P646,008) were also in the fray.

Completing the list of beneficiaries were University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (P657,358), National University (P652,708), University Santo Tomas (P616,808), University of the East (P536,058) and Far Eastern University (P526,758).

All 18 teams slugged it out in a tough tournament won by NU for the third straight year as La Salle and Far Eastern University finished with silver and bronze medals, respectively.

NU’s Bella Belen was named Most Valuable as SSL surpassed the P11 million and P8 million worth of incentives in the first two seasons.