UAAP board reaffirms two-year residency rule

MANILA, Philippines - The UAAP unanimously upheld its controversial eligibility ruling requiring incoming freshmen players transferring from one UAAP school to another to undergo two years of residency.

“The UAAP Board of Trustees at its annual board meeting, with all the member universities duly represented, voted to uphold its decision to impose the two-year residency requirement effective Season 76,” said Junel Baculi of last year’s host National U in a press statement yesterday.

This came about after the Senate held inquiry recently, questioning the motives behind the new rule.

The UAAP board, however, said it is currently working on the explanatory rules and guidelines on the application of the said residency requirement and will finalize them within the month.

Although the statement didn’t specify the content of the explanatory rules, some board members have hinted at the possibility of coming up with some “exemptions.”

“The board will meet again by the end of the month to inform our respective communities about these but there will be some exemptions which will be good to the league as a whole,” said a source who requested anonymity.

The new eligibility rule bars incoming freshmen transferees from seeing action with their respective new schools this year, including former FEU high school star and now Ateneo rookie Jerie Pingoy, who could only get to see action in 2015.

Meanwhile, the league has reduced the residency years requirement of Fil-foreign players transferring to the UAAP from two years to just one season.

“It was an outdated rule that was amended,” said another source.

Ateneo rookie Chris Newsome, a transferee from a US NCAA Division II school, underwent two years of residency and is ready to suit up this season.

The rule on the transfer of foreign players also stayed, meaning Cameroonian Ben Mbala, who jumped ship from Southwestern U in Cebu to La Salle this year, will sit it out the next two seasons before he could play for the Archers.