Chiefs okayed as full member; Blazers NC host

MANILA, Philippines - St. Benilde elevated Arellano University’s membership status from associate to regular for its first official action as Season 89 host of the NCAA during yesterday’s turnover rites at the St. Thomas Hall in Letran’s Intramuros campus.

“We’re happy with the approval for permanent member status of Arellano and we congratulate them,” said incoming league president Bro. Dennis Magbanua, FSC, of St. Benilde.

The Arellano Chiefs will thus become the eighth regular active member of the oldest collegiate league. They joined the league in 2009 and met the requirements set by the league for five straight seasons as probationary member.

Magbanua, who will take over from outgoing Bro. Victor Franco as St. Benilde president on May 15, said they hope to sustain the gains of Season 88 under the stewardship of outgoing president Fr. Tamerlane Lana, OP, and Fr. Vic Calvo, OP, of Season 88 host Letran.

“We will make sure our stars will shine in Season 89 and until we reach 100,” said Magbanua, who also revealed the Season 89 theme of “Stars Will Shine in 89” for the coming season tentatively set to open on June 22 at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.

“We will not let you down, I know the team we have at St. Benilde is ready. The Blazers are ready. We will also do our best to retain our No. 1 status,” he added.

“I feel a sense of relief and gratitude. Relief because we’ve come out of Season 88 as a success and gratitude that so many people helped us,” said Lana.

Under Letran, the league has changed television partner from ABS-CBN to TV 5 and AKTV on IBC 13 and in just a year, it has become the most watched league in the National Capital Region.

“We’re happy we made the decision because the reason we really moved on to another TV partner is we want to be No. 1,” said Calvo.