By Kristel Satumbaga
Officials from the UAAP and the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) Group are scheduled to convene
Wednesday to tackle not one, but two schools involved in unauthorized training sessions although the country is still in rigid quarantine measures.
The meeting, initially set to tackle University of Santo Tomas men’s basketball team, will also include the National University women’s volleyball team after photos circulated online of their players allegedly training despite restrictions.
Tempo tried to contact NU officials but has yet to reply.
On top of the agenda is the latest update of UST’s fact-finding committee on the alleged training bubble held in Sorsogon.
The JAO Group and UAAP officials initially met last week and agreed to have UST conduct its own investigation and report it to UAAP.
Present in that meeting initiated by the PSC were GAB Chairman Baham Mitra, UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag, PSC’s National Training Director Marc Velasco, UAAP Season 83 President and La Salle Athletic Director Nonong Calanog, and DOH Representative Rodley Carza.
The JAO Group, composed of officials from the Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusements Board and Department of Health, is tasked to realign amateur and professional sports programs during this time of pandemic.
“At the moment, we’re still waiting for their explanation,” PSC National Training Director Marc Velasco said.
Velasco added they are also hoping to bring the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on board as the PSC has no jurisdiction to sanction these schools if found guilty.
The findings will be brought to the Inter-Agency Task Force, which will make the final decision.
