Fr. Vic Calvo, OP, of Letran, the NCAA 96th season Management Committee chairman, is not sold on the resumption of training of collegiate leagues, despite the Inter-Agency Task Force decision green-lighting such training.
“The position of the NCAA is that if there are no face-to-face classes, we won’t allow face-to-face practice. That position stays for now, but we’ll meet on Thursday and see the guidelines of CHED,” Calvo said in a statement.
“CHED is meeting today to craft the guidelines. I asked Paul Supan of Jose Rizal University and Herc Callanta of Lyceum to attend the online meeting,” he added.
The Commission on Higher Education will form a technical working group to be headed by executive director Atty. Cindy Jaro and the guidelines are expected to be released two to three weeks from now.
“What the IATF approved is the training of collegiate teams. Sa TWG crafting guidelines, pinakamatagal na iyong tatlong linggo. Based on CHED advisories we always involve universities in crafting guidelines. Universities know that’s happening in the ground,” CHED chairperson Prospero De Vera III said.
“All the advisories of CHED were done with consultation from the universities in crafting the guidelines. Kapag puwede na games, we have to start with the small group, league and will cascade with the other leagues in the country.”
With the lingering health risks and uncertainties brought about by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA is looking to launch its new season only next year.
Only mandatory sports such as basketball, volleyball, swimming, and track and field are set to be played in the league calendar.
Online chess has been added to its slate, while esports will most likely be included in the NCAA 96th season.
The 95th season of the country’s oldest collegiate league was called off mid-March at the start of the government-imposed lockdown to stem the spread of the contagion.
