The UAAP is taking the first concrete steps to curb excessive recruitment offers through a new rule to be introduced in Season 84.
According to league committee on sports and rules chairman Francis Diaz, the new rule dubbed "maximum allowable benefits" will set a ceiling on what present and future student-athletes can receive from a member-school.
Diaz, also the dean of UP's College of Human Kinetics, mentioned that the guideline was formulated so that mouth-watering offers will not be the first and foremost consideration for student-athletes to enroll in a university and play for its team.
"It hinges on the stronger rationale that we want our student-athletes to enroll in the eight member-universities of the UAAP because of either their sports development program - their excellence in a particular event - or their academic programs," he explained in the latest episode of "UAAP Talk."
This landmark move may perhaps eliminate, or help lessen at the very least, the inherent advantage of schools with more resources in clinching blue-chip recruits.
"These measures are done to level the playing field in terms of recruitment. The guidelines have been set: what is allowed for a particular athlete, what can be given by member universities to their student-athletes," furthered Diaz, who added that the "maximum allowable benefits" had already been approved by the UAAP Board of Trustees.
Despite the new rule having been instituted, however, its exact wording is, apparently, yet to be cascaded to team managers and coaches.
"In managing a team, there are always guidelines to follow. I can't say anything more about it since details have not yet been disseminated," shared Ateneo men's basketball team manager Epok Quimpo.
Nonetheless, there are some shot-callers who have already voiced appreciation of the basic framework of capping player benefits.
"I think the new rule is good for everyone involved. It will definitely level the playing field in terms of recruitment," stated FEU men's basketball coach Olsen Racela, himself a UAAP product from the late '80s to early '90s. "All teams will now have a fair chance to get blue-chip recruits which will bring parity to the UAAP."
Adamson's interim head coach seconded the statement.
"It's a step in the right direction for the UAAP as a whole," expressed Mike Fermin, currently overseeing the school's men's basketball team after the departure of Franz Pumaren.
At the same time, though, enforcement is another matter altogether.
"Since it's a new policy, there will be inconsistencies and we just have to trust the UAAP Board to improve it as it goes along," added Fermin.
That's exactly why the league has made it clear that the new rule remains fluid and it will continue to be discussed among all eight member-schools.
"We haven't settled it all yet, but the important thing is that this will be transparent. We will continue to talk and then, after a year or two or maybe three years, then we can revisit and finetune our rules again," assured league executive director Atty. Rebo Saguisag.
Prior to this development, the UAAP had been given an idea on what to do by Republic Act no. 11180, or the Athletic Programs Report Act signed by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte in January 2019.
The law requires higher educational institutions participating in interscholastic competitions to submit an annual report to the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd). Included in the report shall be the total operating expenses of an athletic program, and its total scholarship expenditures vis-a-vis total number of participants.
"It fits like a glove. We now have reports, in black and white, these schools signed off on and we can actually look into," detailed Saguisag. "Challenges aside, the important thing here is the UAAP is making a stand, that we are (going) towards this direction and putting everyone on notice - not only the schools, but as well as their supporters, for their information."