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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019
Bill seekinE to prohibit schools from recruiting non-PH players filed
IIOUSE Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero
(l Pacman Padyiist) yesterday filed a
bill that will stop and prohibit schools
in various collegiiite leagues fiom re-
cruiting rrtd Lsiug non-Fjlipino citizens
as it deries hotnegrown players the op-
portunity 10 further develop their skill.
The practice of using foreign playen uq-
der Lhe guise of stude -athietes, accbrdirg
l
lo Rorltero, lrit- bccotne trot nr in ritriott.
colleges nowadays, which is a total disre-
gard to thrl true nearing offair p1ay.
In Housc ResolLttion No. 388,, Rome-
ro said: "I am ulging the propet cou-
mittee ol lhe Hou>q of Rcpresentillive)
.in aid of legislation to stop and prohibit
all collegiate leagues from recruiting, ac-
quiring ancl using non-Filipinos as piay-
ers because in eflbct, it stops thc growtl'i
and shorthanges ih€ developnerlt 01'var-
ious sports programs in tlic Philippines."
By allowing loreigners to play, Romero
said schools that have vast resources will
have advantages and in doing so may de-
srroy the beautilul gctne o[baskeLbrll.
"l.est I'11 be accused of some kind of a
killjoy,l am doing this lor the goodofPhii-
ippire basketball. The crushidg defeals we
sull'ered in the recart FIBA Wotld Cup
has lblced me to make this resolution,"
said Rornero wtto was the godfather ofthe
Philippine basketball team drat won the
gold medal during the 2007 SEA Games
in Ratchasir:ra, Thailand.
"1'm not targetirg any school here.
Ali I want ls to give our horhegrown
players the chaace to improve and
colnpele to the best of their ability,"
sr iLl Rornero.'Acquiring loleigner' is
no1 only aollnter-productive but is also
* rr4qe-A?,
morc expensive tortaintain a tecm."
Romero also notjced ihat sorne foreign
players-mostly Africans-have moved
ftorn one league 1o another. thus belying
the notion that they came to the country
to study.
"Hindi tayo nagdadamot, Pcro ang
rnasakil nito lng l\ap$a nating Filipino
ang nagiging biktirna rito.' said Romero,
who played for La Salle durjng his col-
lege days.
Th. law mal'er who owtts NorthPorL in
the PBA, said viuious leagLre should find
ways or cleate measures to prevent the pro-
iiferation ofthis "malpractice for the sake of
homegrom athletes.
Romero, howeve! is happy to note that
this season rvill be the last time "imports" in
the oldest collegiate league the NCAA-
willbeplaying. Maricel V. Cruz Rep. N4ikee Romero