AT LEAST 37 of the 60 member-schools have confirmed participation to the 21st University Games (Unigames) on October 23-30, 2016 in Dumaguete City, with some 1,136 student-athletes competing in 10 sports events.
Unigames president Roger Banzuela said: “We are expecting a decrease in the number of participants this year because of the K12 effect in the collegiate level.”
Among the schools which confirmed participation are the three Negros Occidental-based colleges – Colegio de San Agustin-Bacolod, Colegio de Sta. Ana de Victorias, and Riverside College.
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos and Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology have reservations to join this year.
In a surprise move, University of St. La Salle (USLS), the original home of the annual sports undertaking established in 1996, will the 2016 Unigames.
Its sister schools, De La Salle-Araneta University De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, De La Salle-Lipa, De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, and De La Salle University, have already confirmed their participation.
Former Bacolod City mayor Monico Puentevella, a former sports commissioner, on Thursday slammed USLS for not joining the annual event.
“After Bro. Rolly Dizon founded the Unigames? This is the most credible and genuine tertiary games in our country today. It’s a shame for USLS not to join being a founding member,” said the brother-in-law of the late Bro. Rolando Dizon, former president of USLS.
“The Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports, Educational, and Cultural Association meet is not enough for a sound mind in a sound body. I really hope USLS has practical and relevant reasons behind all this – for the sake of their athletes. Unigames will not be the same again. What's worse, DLSU of Manila will join” Puentevella said.
USLS also denied use of its sports facilities when the Unigames was staged in Bacolod last year.
