Money isn't everything

MANILA, Philippines -- Aldin Ayo has officially bid goodbye to Letran.

Ayo left because he accepted a lucrative contract with La Salle to take over from the resigned Juno Sauler. There were news going around that the money involved is somewhere in the vicinity of P9 million for three years. It was an opportunity of a lifetime for Ayo. Coaching for a glamour, big-moneyed school, Ayo just couldn't resist the temptation and decided to plunge into the abyss.

Good for La Salle.

It got a young, talented coach who has the heart of a champion and whose meal ticket is his analytics-based style of coaching. If he can lead a rag-tag Letran team to a championship that practically everybody didn't expect, there is a big chance he can replicate it with the Archers. Why not? La Salle has the material. It's a matter of these Archers buying into Ayo's system and Ayo bowing a little to this team that has utterly underachieved this UAAP season.

But with Ayo, the sky is the limit for La Salle.

As for Letran, Ayo's sudden departure, left it heartbroken.

And they could have fought back. After all, Ayo has three years left in his contract with the school. Or at least make money out of it as La Salle was reportedly willing to buy out Ayo's remaining contract. And everybody goes home happy.

But no.

Accepting La Salle's offer and engaging Ayo and La Salle in a legal battle will betray what Letran stands for. Integrity. Faith. Forgiveness. Acceptance. Letting go. Values the Dominican Order has taught its countless number of students for centuries now.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is more important than money.

Nor victory.

So I take a bow to this Letran institution for teaching us all that there is hope in this temptation-filled world.

As the old saying goes, "Losing isn't always the end, sometimes it becomes the beginning."

Follow me on Twitter: @JoeySVillar