The University Athletic Association of the Philippines and the Philippines Sports Commission have reaffirmed their commitment to support the country’s national sports development agenda.
This was reached following a meeting between the UAAP Board of Managing Directors and PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio held recently at the PSC office in Manila..
In a courtesy call turned strategic dialogue, both parties explored pathways to deepen collaboration between the collegiate league and the government sports body—starting with the possible inclusion of more Olympic sporting disciplines in the UAAP calendar.
“It’s extremely important. We need to connect the value chain—and for me, that value is defined as the connection from grassroots to high performance,” said Gregorio.
“The missing links are our universities and colleges. That’s where the sports value chain gets cut off.”
Gregorio highlighted a gap in the athletic development pipeline, explaining that after participating in grassroots programs like Batang Pinoy and Palarong Pambansa, many athletes switch to sports that aren’t offered in college competitions. This often leads to a disruption in both their competitive careers and academic progression.
Currently, the UAAP features several Olympic sports, including basketball, badminton, athletics, beach volleyball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, judo, baseball, softball, volleyball, football, fencing, tennis, and 3×3 basketball.
Chess and esports, which are also recognized in Olympic-adjacent events such as the Chess Olympiad and Olympic Esports Games, are also part of the league.
