Building champions through local universities

I have pointed out in my previous columns the governance dysfunctions and the lack of organized tertiary sports development, which hinder the growth of world-class Filipino athletes.

Everyone talks about developing world-class athletes starting at the grassroots level, but our sports infrastructure is broken.

We have a fragmented sports system. Barangay-based athletic competitions introduce young Filipinos to the sports they prefer. The DepEd Palarong Pambansa covers basic education, while the Philippine Sports Commission hosts the Philippine National Games for top-tier and national athletes.

But these competitions are not logically connected from the local to the national level or across regions. There is no institutional pathway guiding student-athletes from elementary school through higher education and into elite competition.

Tertiary sports competitions are organized by universities (UAAP, NCAA, SCUAA, PRISAA, LCUAA), with the more established (and richer) universities able to recruit the best talent and contribute more athletes to our national teams.

But not all is bleak in tertiary sports development.

In the aftermath of the recent 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, established universities, led by NU, UST, UP, FEU and Mapua, immediately released the list of their student-athletes who won medals.

But the most surprising development coming out of the SEA Games was the contribution of a local university – University of Makati (Umak) – to the Philippine contingent.

Yes, you heard it: UMak is neither an NCAA nor a UAAP member, nor does it have major corporate and television network backing for its sports teams. But UMak has shown that institutional vision and competence, values-driven formation and local government support can produce medals in international competition.

My research shows that UMak’s tradition of producing champions is not new. As early as the 1990s, the university was already shaping athletes who competed with distinction on the Asian and world stages.

Among the prominent figures from that era are Robert and Dean Vargas, elite taekwondo athletes whose performances at Asian Championships and World Taekwondo competitions brought honor to the Philippines. Their achievements helped establish UMak as a breeding ground for high-performance athletes long before today’s global exposure.

In the 33rd SEA Games, UMak athletes and alums made meaningful contributions to the Philippines’ overall medal tally, underscoring the university’s sustained impact on national sports.

From the College of Human Kinetics, Arcenio Cadlos earned a silver medal in the Gymnastics Aerobics Mixed Pair event. At the same time, Dorothy Grace Asuncion, a BS Exercise and Sports Science student, captured a bronze medal in the Gymnastics Aerobics Mixed Group event. Gymnast Juancho Miguel Besana also represented the country with distinction.

In squash, UMak alumna Jemyca Aribado won a bronze medal in the Women’s Singles event, adding to a storied career that includes consistent SEA Games podium finishes since 2015 and a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games. Her achievement was complemented by Jonathan Reyes and Christopher Buraga, who secured silver in the Men’s Jumbo Doubles event.

Jonathan Dain Reyes, a BS Exercise and Sports Science student, also delivered a podium finish in the Squash Jumbo Mixed Doubles. David William Peliño represented the country in international squash competitions at both the Asian Games and SEA Games.

In the Flying Disc Ultimate, Armie Saludes and her team made history by winning the first-ever SEA Games gold medal in the sport. In rugby, UMak athletes Sylvia Tudoc, Bhea Estacio, Janin Lara Puig, Rassiel Sales, Mariah Jasmine Torio, Rara Sales, Jano Puig and Ivon Gavieres represented the Philippines in the SEA Games and the World University Games, competing against the best teams in the region and the world.

In archery, Paul Marton dela Cruz and Rachel Cabral dela Cruz represented the Philippines in the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympic Games. Carl Lloyd Tejada won medals in arnis at the SEA Games. In dancesport, Maryjoy Renigen and Mark Gayon earned medals for the country.

UMak’s contribution to Philippine sports also extends to international officiating. Mick John Pineda serves as an international football referee. Edith Botecario made history as a FIBA international basketball referee and as the first woman referee in the Philippine Basketball Association.

These achievements are made possible by UMak’s strong institutional ecosystem, comprising the Center for Athletic Development (CAD) and the College of Human Kinetics (CHK). CHK provides the scientific and academic foundation for training, while CAD trains and develops athletes through a holistic student development approach that integrates academics, mental resilience, emotional well-being and character formation.

Equally important is the role of the Makati City Government, which has built sports facilities and provides athletes with allowances, dormitory accommodations, equipment, uniforms and training venues. Effective recruitment, expert coaching, strategic partnerships with respected sports organizations and ongoing city support enable student-athletes to concentrate while fostering discipline and integrity.

It is no surprise that UMak is the overall champion of NAASCU and has secured nine consecutive titles in the Association of Local Colleges and Universities Athletic Association. It has also won championships in the Makati Football Challenge in 2019 and 2025, defeating teams from prominent UAAP and NCAA universities and colleges.

Surprisingly, neither the Philippine Sports Commission nor the CHED recognizes, even hold a testimonial dinner to recognize the contributions of these outstanding higher education institutions to the country’s SEA games success.

If the national government is unwilling or unable to legislate and support a serious tertiary sports development system, it should do the next best thing: recognize and directly subsidize well-performing universities, such as UMak, that contribute to the national team even without any national government funding.