UB provides plane tickets to stranded student athletes
THE LAST batch of stranded student athletes of University of Baguio (UB) will finally return to their respective hometowns, including those from Visayas and Mindanao.
UB athletic director Alan Elegado on Monday said the school has provided plane tickets and travel allowance for its six students from Davao, Bacolod and Leyte.
He said another six student athletes from Luzon area may stay in Baguio but efforts are made for them to be with their families.
“Those from Davao and Bacolod were given by the school (money) for their booking as well as for their bus fare for Manila and food allowance. They will be flying home on June 8,” Elegado said.
Elegado said the school has provided relief packs as well as cash assistance to its student athletes who were stranded for almost
three months due to the quarantine measures amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid19) pandemic.
“I’ve been going around for almost three months for their relief and allowance. I go to where they stay although I only reported for work last May 25,” he said.
He said UB also provides free accommodations as well as regular allowances and food packages to its student athletes.
The athletes include table tennis players Luigi Dealco and JM Ortega, and boxer Claudin Veloso from Davao. Those from Bacolod are Alexandra Tinosan (wushu) and Mary IC Sinadjan (boxer), and Robina Canon (wushu) from Leyte.
Elegado said stranded students from Luzon include Vince Sibbaluca and Sophia Agra, members of men’s and women’s basketball teams, respectively, from Cagayan; John Rey Galantoa and Jethro Camayang (wushu); Elisha Bantang (women’s basketball) from Apayao; and Oliver Aviang (athletics) from San Fernando, La Union. Their departure for home is yet to be scheduled.
Since March 22, many of the UB student athletes have returned home through the help of their respective local government units while others went home on their own and with the assistance of UB’s school and group partners in Luzon.