“Let’s not treat our athletes like commodities.” Senator Pia S. Cayetano delivered this message as she called on the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to strengthen oversight of sports organizations and ensure the welfare of athletes, coaches, referees, and other sports personnel during the budget hearing of the PSC under the Senate Committee on Finance.
Cayetano, author of the Student-Athlete Protection Act (RA 10676), raised concerns about continuing violations of the law among university leagues, particularly the UAAP’s transfer rules that restrict student-athletes’ playing years. She also denounced the UAAP’s “tiered system” that pays referees for women’s basketball games less than those officiating men’s matches, saying such practices “remain discriminatory, no matter what they are called.”
As a former national athlete herself, Cayetano urged the PSC to uphold the spirit of fairness and inclusivity in sports by protecting athletes’ welfare during and after their careers, ensuring gender equality, and working closely with LGUs to improve sports infrastructure across the country.
Tag: PSC
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Sen. Pia to PSC: “Let’s not treat our Athletes like commodities.”