BBEAL to usher 31st season in October

AT LEAST nine sports events are being lined up for the first phase of the Baguio Benguet Educational Athletic League when it fires off its 31st season October 21.

Basketball, which has been the league's centerpiece tournament will kick off during the opening with University of the Cordilleras Jaguars eyeing a repeat and will gun for its fifth crown in the largest collegiate league in Northern Luzon.

Set to be played in the first semester are archery, badminton, baseball, chess, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis and wushu.

Kings College of the Philippines, the youngest member of the league is set to host the 31st season while the UC Jaguars will have its hands full when it defends the over-all crown including badminton, taekwondo, softball, tennis and wushu for both men and women; men's judo, men's table tennis, and men's volleyball.

University of Baguio seeks redemption after placing second over-all with their titles in archery (men's and women's), women's chess, women's judo, men's swimming, women's table tennis, and women's basketball including women's athletics, arnis (men and women), men's swimming and women's volleyball.

Saint Louis University, meanwhile, shoots for an improved finish after placing third with key victories in men's chess, sepak takraw, and women's swimming.

As the BBEAL ushers in its new season next month, the league remains optimistic of the funding that will come from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

UC athletic director Danilo Cong-o earlier said the funding is still with the PSC and the BBEAL will just have to follow – up an earlier commitment from PSC chairman William Ramirez.

From an initial pledge of P500,000, Cong-o said the amount is lowered to P200,000 as the PSC chairperson assured this will be released to the local league.

Ramirez, during a meeting in March this year with members of

the BBEAL technical committee promised to give the aid as technical financial assistance for BBEAL's upcoming Season 31 and encouraged the league to start a social program targeting the community.

Other participating schools seeing action in the BBEAL are Baguio Central University, Baguio College of Technology, Benguet State University, Cordillera Career Development College, Philippine Military Academy, Pines City Colleges, and University of the Philippines – Baguio. Roderick Osis