ON THE ISSUE OF HAVING FOREIGN STUDENT ATHLETES PLAY IN THE PHILIPPINE INTER-COLLEGIATE GAMES

By John Vincent Ignacio, Faculty Member, UST College of Nursing

Whether it is a good decision to allow foreign student athletes participate in the Philippine Inter-Collegiate Games

OBJECTION 1: It seems that recruiting and allowing foreign student athletes play and participate in the Philippine Inter-Collegiate Games is acceptable since these foreigners would be able to boost the athletic and competitive standards of college games in the country with their skills and talents in their respective sports. Ergo, the inclusion of such is a good idea.

OBJECTION 2: Having foreigners in the Philippine Inter-Collegiate Games would seem to benefit the different universities and colleges of the country because having such will promote the institution’s international prestige and recognition which play a vital part during accreditation; therefore, this idea is a good one.

OBJECTION 3: Allowing foreign students participate in the country’s Inter-Collegiate Games increases the sports-entertainment industry’s growth by broadcasting and/or promoting such games with such players; hence, this is a good idea.

ON THE CONTRARY, The 1987 Philippine Constitution states that it is a constitutional commitment of the government (and presumably) by the state to encourage sports as an integral part of nation building. The inclusion of foreign students in Inter-Collegiate Games is arguably contrary to this state principle.

I ANSWER THAT the introduction of foreign student-athletes is detrimental to the average Filipino, tuition-fee-paying student. In the first place, having these foreign student-athletes participate in the Inter-Collegiate Games gives the impression that these foreign nationals are better than the Filipino students primarily in sports and as a corollary even in the field of academic excellence.

Secondly, universities and colleges who are recruiting and/or allowing foreign nationals to compete in these games are causing injustice to average Filipino students paying their FULL tuition fees. Varsity athletes are, for the most of the time, are scholars of their respective institutions. It is, therefore, logically safe to assume that the Filipino students are the ones subsidizing the educational expenses of these foreign nationals. Considering the hardships of our times, we are now asking our countrymen to educate foreigners. Even if we argue that external institutions or companies or persons are funding these foreigners’ education, it means, therefore, that a foreigner receives this privilege rather than the Filipino student – who should be prioritized to be given educational benefits. Assuming, on the other hand, that these foreign student-athletes are paying full tuition fees; the fact that they are included in the teams means that a Filipino student athlete has lost that slot in favor of the foreigner, thus this poor Filipino student athlete no longer has any opportunity to enjoy educational privileges.

Thirdly, as my very own students from the College of Nursing (III-8, thanks for the idea!) have said, Filipino student-athletes can no longer further their career in their preferred sport. For he has lost the opportunity to display his talents in the collegiate level, the probability of expanding his career to professional sports has been decreased considerably.

REPLY TO OBJECTION 1 To say that the inclusion of foreign student-athletes in the Philippine Inter-Collegiate Games boosts the athletic and competitive standards of the games can only be held true if it is universally acceptable to say that foreigners are INDEED superior to us, Filipinos, in sports. And this proposition is absurd to consider.

REPLY TO OBJECTION 2 It is true that national and international recognition are important aspects to promote a university’s or college’s accreditation status; however, this can be done in many other ways without putting our very own brothers and sisters in an unfair disadvantage. Exchange student programs and/or faculty exchange programs are a better option than putting foreigners in our varsity teams.

REPLY TO OBJECTION 3 It may be true to think that foreigners do make the games more appealing to game fans, considering the kind of colonial mentality that we still have in our social system. However, as stated above, it is a constitutional commitment of our government and the state to promote sports to OUR CITIZENS. Economic and/or financial gains brought about by the sensationalism of foreign student-athletes should never be taken as a reason to disregard the development of the FILIPINO STUDENT-ATHLETES.

CLOSING The Filipino student is arguably one of the best in the world. We must also recognize the fact that the Filipino Student-Athlete shares the same reputation. There is no REAL reason to recruit foreigners in the country’s Inter-Collegiate Games, except the false notion that these foreigners increase the chance of winning for the team. But the desire to win should not be prejudicial to our brothers and sisters. The inclusion of these foreign student-athletes in our inter-collegiate games is crystal clear, A BAD IDEA.