UAAP announces new transferee eligibility rule

MANILA, Philippines -- Following the implementation of the new transferee eligibility rule in the UAAP, executive director Rebo Saguisag emphasized that the welfare and interest of student-athletes is of “paramount importance.”

Saguisag on Wednesday announced the new eligibility rule covering collegiate players who will transfer from one UAAP school to another after the conclusion of the academic year 2023-24.

Under the new rule, transferees will have to sit out one year for residency. However, they will be deducted two years of eligibility.

During the UAAP press conference on Wednesday, Saguisag said the regulation was made with the welfare of student-athletes in mind.

“Let me state for the record that all of us in this room, the welfare and interest of each and every student athlete is of paramount importance. There’s no question about that,” he told reporters.

“We all agree on that, and that’s the most important thing. We may have different views on how to get there, but again, allow me to state that the welfare of each and every student athlete is of paramount importance,” he added.

According to the official, those who transferred after June 1 will be covered by the new pronouncement.

“The important thing for us is, we look at enrollment. So, if you transfer from a member school to another member school of the UAAP, you will be affected.”

Back in July, the biggest move of the offseason was rookie Mason Amos trading his blue-and-white Ateneo Blue Eagles jersey for a green one in La Salle.

Saguisag admitted that the trend of transferees was “part of the considerations” with the new rule.

“Interestingly, that is where we are coming from, we have to consider. Inasmuch as we protect, we guarantee the protection of the rights of each and every student-athlete, we have to balance that to other interests. I’m talking about the member-schools per se and the UAAP as a collective,” he said.

“So there are three parties concerned here that we need to balance their interests because at the end of the day, a better member-school will lead to a better UAAP which leads to a better environment for the student-athlete,” he added.

Coaches’ takes

Some coaches of the UAAP, though, had different takes on the new rule.

University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde, for his part, said that they will simply abide by the rules.

“For me, I’m sure it’s well thought of. I’m sure they really thought of that before they made the decision,” he said in Filipino.

“Us, we’ll just abide by the rules of the UAAP.”

For his part, La Salle head coach Topex Robinson stressed that while they will abide by the rule, he personally thinks it is “unfair.”

“Because [of the rule], in that way, the athletes will think twice. And, at a very early age, you know just out of high school, they really don’t know what they want in their lives,” he underscored.

“Again, at the end of the day, I will abide by the rules but me as a human being, it's taking away the freedom of another human being to choose where he want-- what kind of a life that he wants because the choice of degree will be affected,” he added.

“Again, that's just me as a person and not representing an institution, it’s unfair for the kids to lack freedom in picking [schools] because of limitations given to them.”

Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin said that the new rule is “an admin thing.”

“It does not concern me. We’ll see how it plays out,” he said.

“I think, maybe, the cumulative effect of several transfers and several of them being relatively high-profile. As Boss Rebo said, it was probably part of the rationale behind it,” he added.

Asked whether the new rule will help maintain parity in the league, Baldwin’s answer was short and sweet: “No.”

UAAP Season 87 will kick off this weekend.