What I read during the public hearing for the proposed amendments to the "Jerie Pingoy Rule"

The Hypocrisy Rule Part 3

by rick olivares

I was invited by Senator Pia Cayetano as a resource speaker today in the public hearing for the Proposed Amendments to the UAAP Rules and their Effects on the Youth.

At first, I planned on writing about two athletes who are graduating and moving to college (not Jerie Pingoy) but in the midst of doing the interviews, I decided to instead get their thoughts and feelings about the rule. One athlete was brave enough to say her name while the other opted not to for fear of reprisals. Of course, I had to respect that.

I read the message from the student then called on her father, who was present for the proceedings, to give his side of the story.

Here are the thoughts and feelings of one student-athlete:

“Masyadong harsh yung two-year residency rule. Okay lang siguro yung one year but two years? Yung one year makakatulong din sa pag-adapt sa bagong environment. But the fact two years? Mukhang masyadong mahi-hinder yung growth ng player.

Hindi lahat ng player ay lumilipat dahil na-recruit siya or dahil sa sports niya. Baka yun naman talaga ang school na gusto niya.

Pinili ko ang UP unang-una kasi halos lahat ng family ko ay nasa UP.

Kapag magco-college ka tinitignan mo rin yung ranking ng school at top school din naman ang UP.

Ang sarap lang ng feeling na sabihin -- UP siya. Woah di ba?

Hindi sa I am downgrading UST. Diyan din naman ako galing. A student should continue to grow and spread his or her wings.

Yung high school coach ko, sinabi niya ‘sana lang umangat ako sa seniors team ng UST pero hindi naman ako pinilit. Kung baga desisyon ko pa rin.

For me two years agad ang mawawala sa akin. Kaya nga nag-athlete ako para makakuha ako ng scholarship dahil mahal ang tuition.

Ginawa ng UAAP Board ay hindi binigyan ako ng chance mamili ng school. Masyadong sinakal kaming mga student-athlete.

Bakit? Kayo lang ang may say sa kinabukasan ng bata? Paano magulang ko? Paano kami? Paano ako?

For me, the UAAP Board should give the player the freedom to choose where they want to go. Not just for the sake of the sport they play but the school they want. They also want the education.

Student-athlete kami. Student na nauna doon sa word kaya yung dapat ang priority.”

Anna Dominique “Mikee” Bartolome, 17 years old

Juniors MVP Swimming

Picture of Mikee Bartolome taken during her graduation last Thursday at UST. Thank you to the Bartolome family for sharing their story. Good luck in college!

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Mikee has an older sister, Maria Kristina Bartolome, who was also Rookie of the Year in the Juniors Division and had to sit out the one-year residency due to the Soc Rivera Rule after transferring to UP two years ago.

The sisters are the daughters of former PBA referee Vic Bartolome.

According to Mr. Bartolome, it was he who spent for his daughters’ training from the time they wanted to swim. Not UST. It was his daughters who chose to go to UST for high school and it was their decision to go to UP for college.