UST to stage UAAP Season 79 inaugurals

MANILA, Philippines – Host University of Santo Tomas deviates from the usual practice as it ushers in UAAP Season 79 with a ballroom competition and a concert party at the UST campus on Sept. 3 with the kickoff games set the next day yet.

UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics secretary Gilda Camus said the opening festivities will start with the ballroom dancing – one of the new offerings in the league – at 2:30 p.m. at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.

From there, the student-athletes from the eight member universities will go to the Plaza Mayor in front of the Main Building – the same area where Pope Francis was received by representatives of various religious groups during his Papal visit in 2015 – for a simple opening rites around 5:30 p.m.

The festivities will then conclude with the “Dare to Dream” concert.

“Basically we decided to do the opening here in UST because we want the other universities to experience the Thomasian culture,” Camus said.

The opening games will tip off Sept. 4, although Camus declined to announce the pairings and the venue yet.

“We decided to hold the opening separate from the games because in previous years, players who had games on opening day were weary after the long waiting hours brought about by the long program,” she said.

Camus announced that Atty. Rebo Saguisag was retained as commissioner of the basketball competitions for Season 79.