By Ramon Rafael Bonilla and Ryniel Berlanga
THE country’s premier collegiate leagues—University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)—announced on Monday that they are halting all events in the program of their current season as of Tuesday.
Both popular leagues said the cancellation of games was prompted by the Department of Health’s declaration of a Red Alert Sub-Level 1 status amid the coronavirus or COVID-2019 outbreak.
The cancellation of games will be in effect until March 17.
“All NCAA activities are hereby suspended until further notice,” said Management committee Chairman Peter Cayco said in a statement.
“The [NCAA] Policy Board is set to meet soon to discuss the possibility of postponing the games, or canceling all together all games,” Cayco said.
The NCAA games were already suspended last month due to the virus scare.
“The action of the NCAA is for the safety and welfare of the students, the athletes, the fans and the officials,” Cayco added in the statement.
Season 82 President Emmanuel Fernandez of Ateneo and Executive Director Rebo Saguisag made the announcement for the UAAP also on Tuesday.
Suspended were competitions in volleyball, football, baseball and softball and school girls’ basketball.
The UAAP officials said a decision to cancel the games after March 17 would be a “day to day” decision. Like the NCAA, the UAAP heeded the crisis by moving its February 15 opening of the volleyball season to March 3.
On Monday, Marikina City totally called off its hosting of the Palarong Pambansa from May 1 to 9 after it was confirmed that one of its residents tested positive of the virus.
The Department of Education has already recommended for the cancellation or postponement of the Palaro a month ago, but reasserted the decision by suspending all DepEd activities that include regional athletic meets.
Organizers of two International Cycling Union races—the Le Tour de Filipinas and PruRide which were set in May and March, respectively—canceled their respective events as early as last month.
The Philippine Basketball Association and its D-League, which attracts thousands of fans, have yet to make an announcement of whether to cancel their games or bar spectators from the arenas.
On Tuesday, organizers postponed the TCS Clark Animo International Marathon, a major international fitness event at Clark Global City originally set over the weekend, to May 10.
The event is organized annually by the De La Salle Alumni Association Pampanga chapter along with Clark Global City. It conducts courses certified by the International Association of Athletic Federations and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.
A help desk will assist racers who have been affected by the change in schedule. They can be reached at 0938-4798166, 0938-4798167 or 0966-6406420. Queries may also be e-mailed to TCSClarkAnimo@gmail.com or posted on their Facebook page, TCS Clark Animo International Marathon. Registered racers who could not make it to the new race date will be automatically registered for next year’s race.