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The PSC is ready to provide financial assistance to the families of Ateneo basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who died by drowning at the Blue Eagles team building in Aurora.
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission is extending its support to the beloved Ateneo basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili who were left behind.
PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio on Wednesday, June 10, announced that the sports body will give P250,000 each to the families of the two players who he died by drowning two days before during the construction of the Blue Eagles team in Dipaculao, Aurora.
“This is help from the government to address the needs of their families,” Gregorio said in Filipino.
The PSC created a panel of sports stakeholders that includes the UAAP, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the Higher Education Commission, and the National Youth Commission to support the investigation into the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.
Baterbonia, Adili, and other Ateneo players, according to preliminary investigation and the Aurora Regional Police Office, were in water up to their thighs and suddenly found themselves in the deepest part and were swept away by strong currents.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, the panel said it will establish “stronger safety standards, risk management protocols, and emergency response capabilities at all levels of the sport.”
“The quality of athletics must be pursued within systems that are safe, accountable, and worthy of public trust. Let the memory of Rene and Divine fuel our resolve to ensure accountability where appropriate, protect our athletes, and ensure this tragedy never happens again,” the stakeholders said in a statement.
The panel also supports House Bill 2631 or the Sports Coaching Act, which seeks to establish a national and multi-sport licensing system for coaches in the Philippines.
Under the tutelage of head coach Tab Baldwin, the Blue Eagles have done similar team-building activities in Aurora, which – according to former Ateneo managers – tests the players’ passion and camaraderie.
“Coaches have a great influence on the lives and development of athletes. We must do our part to ensure that they are not only empowered to lead, but also educated, trained, and adhere to standards that promote athlete safety, well-being, and coaching accountability,” the stakeholders said.
Although the Blue Eagles have regularly organized a team building in Aurora and they have certainly produced results considering that Ateneo has won the UAAP championship four times since Baldwin took over in 2015, Gregorio said the activity does not meet PSC standards.
“Certainly, that is not in the policy of the Philippine Sports Commission. And I am sure it is not in the policy of the UAAP either. That is not in the policy of the Palarong Pambansa or any national sports associations. That is probably the philosophy of the program that is there. That is their style and their right,” said Gregorio.
“But having said that, the important thing is that we are now given the opportunity to go through where there are loopholes in the policies of each agency.” – Rappler.com
