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The National Collegiate Athletic Association hopes to pick up from where it left off last year as it ushers its 101st season on Wednesday, October 1, beginning with the centerpiece event of basketball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Teams that played in last year’s Final Four will have a rematch right away on opening day as defending men’s champion and host school Mapua battles Lyceum, and College of St. Benilde clashes with San Beda University.

The Cardinals-Pirates tussle is set at 2:30 p.m. followed by the Blazers-Red Lions match at 5 p.m.

An elaborate opening ceremony starting at 12 p.m. precedes the double-header, with performances to be provided by songstress Thea Astley, Hannah Precillas, Naya Ambi and Aicelle Santos.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio will serve as guest speaker when the country’s grand old collegiate league ushers its next 100 years.

‘Madaling tandaan. Season 101. And we’ll open on October 1. 10-1. So things like that. And with this year’s theme ‘Building Greatness,’ I’m sure for the past 100 years of NCAA, you’ve seen student-athletes rose to the elite level. So in the next 100 years in coordination with the PSC and member schools, we hope to sustain our contribution to the national training pool,’ said Jose Rizal University athletic director Paul Supan in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Emilio Aguinaldo College Vice President for Administration Dr. Lorenzo Lorenzo appeared with Supan in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

In line with the NCAA’s goal of providing the national training pool with potential members, Lorenzo said the collegiate league is introducing the Olympic sports of gymnastics, weightlifting, boxing, and golf in this year’s calendar of events.

All four sports will initially be demonstration in nature to be played in the second semester.

‘The NCAA and PSC ay nagkaroon ng partnership in terms of training and developing these grassroots athletes,’ said Lorenzo.

Supan said under NCAA rules a demo sport that has been played for three straight years can be elevated to regular status subject to certain conditions.

Weightlifting and gymnastics provided the three gold medals won by the country in the Olympics, including the breakthrough gold provided by lifter Hidilyn Diaz in the women’s 55 kg category. Incidentally, the 34-year-old Diaz is an alumnus of NCAA member school College of St. Benilde.

New format will also be adopted in the event of basketball, whose games will be played in the NCAAs original home at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

‘This is our home and most of us will acknowledge, dito talaga nagsimula ang NCAA,’ said Supan, noting the juniors basketball that kicks off on Thursday, October 2, will already be played at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium between Mapua-Lyceum and St. Benilde-San Beda.

‘The direction really is to eventually ensure that all of the games in the eliminations and semis, basically, were going back to our home base,’ added Lorenzo.

Other sports to be played at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila include taekwondo, swimming, lawn tennis, and hopefully, football, while track and field will be staged at PhilSports in Pasig.

With strategy and communication set to determine the outcome, the ICTSI Elite Junior Finals blasts off Wednesday, October 1, at The Country Club, featuring the best junior golfers from Luzon (North) and Visayas-Mindanao (South) in a Ryder Cup-style showdown.

In true team golf fashion, the finals mirror the recently concluded Team Europe vs Team USA duel in the Ryder Cup. The format includes Four-Ball (Best Ball) on Day 1, Foursomes (Alternate Shot) on Day 2, and Singles matches on the final day. With 48 of the country’s top juniors competing, this promises to be a pressure-packed battleground of skill and willpower.

Team North co-captain Ryan Tambalque laid down a simple but clear plan for Day 1’s Four-Ball format, where the boys’ 7-10 division opens play from the first tee, followed by the 11-14 and the 15-18 divisions. The girls’ teams start simultaneously on the 10th tee, ensuring action on both sides of the course.

The three-day event is open to the public, offering fans a unique opportunity to watch and support the next generation of professional golfers in action.

‘Keep the ball in the fairway and greens in regulation,’ Tambalque said, giving concise marching orders to his 24-player squad that emerged from a grueling seven-leg qualifying series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

However, Tambalque was quick to emphasize balance: ‘Let them enjoy the game. I’m confident in our players – lahat sila malalakas (they’re all strong), and they’ve been training independently. Whichever way we pair them, I know they’ll do their best.’

On the other side, Team South skipper Alfred Gaccion exuded quiet confidence. While he acknowledged the depth of Team North, he believes his squad holds the edge in talent, experience and resilience.

‘The opposing team is equally equipped, so we’re focusing on a balanced fielding of players. Fortunately, we have strong representatives in every age division,’ said Gaccion, who singled out the girls’ 15-18 division as a potential game-changer.

‘The 15-18 girls will definitely be on top,’ he added, referring to his powerhouse lineup of Tashanah Balangauan, Crista Miñoza, Precious Zaragosa and Mikela Guillermo.

Team North’s counterpart in the girls’ 15-18 division includes Rafa Anciano, Levonne Talion, Tiffany Bernardino and Chloe Rada.

While they lack the same level of regional dominance, Tambalque believes their chemistry could be the deciding factor.

‘This is a team event, and team play is the key to overcoming any disadvantage,’ said Gaccion. ‘Support for each other in Four-Ball and Foursomes will be the foundation.’

Though optimistic about an early lead, Gaccion knows the Singles matches will ultimately decide the championship.

‘Day 3 will be the game-changer. If we can take control early, it will boost the players’ confidence heading into the final round,’ he said.

Bonding could become a critical factor. Gaccion admitted his players come from different islands and haven’t had much time to train together.

‘We didn’t have the luxury of team practice or bonding. But this will be our own version of a ‘Team Europe’ style win – cohesive despite the distance,’ he said.

In contrast, Tambalque said Team North has developed camaraderie through regular tournaments and shared training.

‘We see each other almost every week, and even the parents have built rapport. That chemistry is a strength,’ said Tambalque.

Still, recent typhoons limited Team North’s full-team practices.

‘We weren’t able to train as a complete group, so we focused on division-specific practice sessions,’ added Tambalque.

Regardless of preparation, Gaccion and Tambalque believe their teams are ready and eager.

‘This is the first North vs South tournament of this kind, and the excitement is real – not just among the players but also the parents,’ said Tambalque.

The Four-Ball format rewards bold, aggressive play – with each player playing their own ball and the best score counting. Momentum shifts are common, setting the stage for fast starts and high drama.

On Day 2, the Foursomes format brings added pressure. Players alternate shots, making communication and trust paramount. A single misstep can doom a hole, while harmony can create upsets.

The Singles round on Day 3 pits players head-to-head, with each hole crucial in the race to collect points. With one point at stake per match, the first team to reach 24.5 points wins.

If the teams tie at 24-24, a sudden-death playoff will ensue. One age group will be drawn at random, and each captain must nominate a player to settle the match.

The complete rosters:

Team North

Zoji Edoc, Zach Guico, Asher Abad and Halo Pangilinan (boys’ 7-10)

Ronee Dungca, Mavis Espedido, Winter Serapio and Tyra Garingalao (girls’ 7-10)

Vito Sarines, Zianbeau Edoc, Ryuji Suzuki and Jacob Casuga (boys’ 11-14)

Twins Lisa and Mona Sarines, Kendra Garingalao and Alexie Gabi (girls’ 11-14)

Patrick Tambalque, Zachary Villaroman, Jose Carlos Taruc and Kristoffer Nadales (boys’ 15-18)

Rafa Anciano, Levonne Talion, Tiffany Bernardino and Chloe Rada (girls’ 15-18).

Team South

Ethan Lago, Lucas Revilleza, Kvan Alburo and James Rolida (boys’ 7-10)

Denise Mendoza, Soleil Molde, Claren Quiño and Francesca Geroy (girls’ 7-10)

Ralph Batican, Ken Guillermo, Jared Saban and Marcus Dueñas (boys’ 11-14)

Brittany Tamayo, Kimberly Baroquillo, Zuri Bagaloyos and Rafella Batican (girls’ 11-14)

Alexis Nailga, along with Luciano Copok, Mhark Fernando III and Eric Jeon (boys’ 15-18)

Tashanah Balangauan, Crista Miñoza, Precious Zaragosa and Mikela Guillermo (girls’ 15-18).

Protesters arrested during the September 21 rallies were beaten, extorted and denied medical care, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers said Tuesday, September 30.

The group of lawyers – who last week personally visited the Manila police stations where detainees were held – flatly rejected the Philippine National Police’s assertion that detainees received proper treatment.

“These are all barefaced lies,” the NUPL said in a statement in reaction to the Philippine National Police’s remarks at a press conference yesterday, where it denied that detainees were tortured or maltreated during custody.

Some of the detainees’ open wounds from their arrest were left untreated after “volunteer doctors were barred from entering detention facilities,” the lawyers’ group said.

“Independent reports document detainees being beaten, extorted for money in exchange for ‘protection,’ and coerced into admissions of guilt,” the NUPL added.

Relatives of detainees waiting outside the police station were also turned away and denied information about their detained kin, the NUPL said.

On September 21, at least 216 individuals were arrested by police, including 91 minors, with the youngest being nine years old.

NUPL last week said it conducted visits to various police stations in Manila where the arrested individuals were held. During this visit, the 13 lawyers part of NUPL said they saw “widespread and systematic” abuse of detainees.

Many of the arrested, the group found out, were mere “bystanders” during the demonstrations and denied inflicting violence or damage to property.

On Tuesday, in its statement refuting the PNP’s claim, the NUPL cited the case of Edzel Santos, a person with disability who was reportedly beaten with a truncheon while a sack was placed over his head.

Santos continues to struggle with pain and trauma, breaking down when recounting the incident, and requires ongoing treatment, according to the group.

“To claim that children were treated with comfort and care while their parents stood outside begging for access is not merely implausible, it is insulting,” the statement said.

The PNP has said detainees were placed in air-conditioned rooms and provided with nutritious food, decent clothing, and medical care.

But the NUPL says the current situation of the detainees mirrors past police abuses. “This climate of impunity is grimly familiar and reminiscent of the Tokhang years, when blood ran in the streets even as authorities looked the public in the eye and denied what everyone could see,” it added.

The NUPL also said Manila Mayor Isko Moreno bears responsibility for the alleged abuses, noting that the Manila Police District falls under his operational supervision and control as local chief executive.

“When those functions result in violations of human rights, responsibility reaches his office as well,” the group said.

The NUPL called for the immediate release of all those it said were unlawfully arrested on September 21, urgent medical treatment for the injured, and a full independent inquiry into alleged torture and arbitrary detention.

The group said the police violated the Constitution’s prohibitions on arbitrary detention, torture, and cruel or degrading treatment, as well as domestic laws, including the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act and the Anti-Torture Act.

“The police have had every opportunity to prove otherwise: through transparency, open access to lawyers, families, and doctors, and full independent investigation. Instead, they have chosen denial and whitewash,” the statement said.

Minors released

The Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday also said it continues to monitor the welfare of 91 minors arrested during the protests.

Around 68 minors have been turned over to their parents, while non-Manila residents were brought to their respective local government units. The rest are temporarily housed in a youth facility awaiting pickup by their parents, the CHR said.

The CHR said it continues to investigate possible violations related to the protests, including the handling of minors.

The commission said citizens have the right to peaceful assembly and to express grievances, but acts of violence and destruction of property cannot be condoned as they endanger public safety.

The Philippine government failed to sufficiently protect human trafficking victims in illegal scam hubs, according to the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US Department of State.

The report said the Philippines retained its Tier 1 ranking after showing ‘serious efforts’ to combat trafficking, including prosecuting traffickers, sentencing most to significant prison terms, enacting laws to protect fishers, and taking steps to disrupt trafficking in online scam hubs.

It also cited the government’s ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), which were often used as fronts for trafficking foreign workers.

Despite these efforts, the State Department said the Philippines fell short in screening for trafficking victims during POGO raids.

‘The government did not report identifying any foreign victims exploited in these operations,’ the report said, noting that officials may have unjustly penalized individuals who were actually trafficked.

Unlike in 2023, when authorities identified 362 foreign trafficking victims in cooperation with an international organization, no such victims were reported in 2024.

Authorities deported thousands of Chinese and other Asian workers, but the failure to identify victims undermined those efforts, the Department of State said.

‘Officials deported the overwhelming majority of foreign nationals it arrested from these operations without identifying them as trafficking victims-totaling at least 3,000 foreign nationals during the reporting period,’ the department said.

Decline in victim identification

The mass crackdown on POGOs followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to ban offshore gaming.

Authorities, however, lacked reliable statistics on the total number of trafficking victims, including those linked to POGOs.

This, the report said, “contributed to the deportation of some unidentified victims to countries where they may have faced retribution or hardship, and in some cases, prosecution in their country of origin solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.”

Some officials also failed to apply ‘trauma-informed practices’ in victim screening, it said.