A total of 20 schools have confirmed their participation in the 13th University Games to be held in Negros Oriental on Oct. 24-30.
The schools are Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, DLSU St. Benilde, Holy Angel University, Jose Maria College, Mindanao State University Marawi, Far Eastern University, University of Mindanao, University of Iloilo, University of St. La Salle, West Negros College, Xavier University, University of Perpetual Help, San Beda University, Silliman University, Negros Oriental State University, Asian College of Science and Technology, the Colegio de Sta. Catalina de Alejandria and lead host Foundation University.
Dr. Aparicio Mequi, former Philippine Sports Commission chairman and now the chair of Foundation’s Institute of Youth Sports for Peace (IYSPeace) program, said the presence of the top University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) rivals Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University is expected to bring in more teams from other schools.
“Basketball teams will come to test the mettle of Ateneo and La Salle,” Mequi predicted.
Preparations are continuing for the Unigames, especially at Foundation University, where a lot of the coordination during the six-day event will take place.
While most of the games will be held in several staging venues in Dumaguete city City, the City of Tanjay is hosting basketball games for men and women at their covered basketball court by the city park, while the Municipality of Valencia is also rushing the completion of its gymnasium to host the volleyball games.
The Unigames is the only national collegiate sports competition which started 1996 at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City, gathering together the finest varsity athletes from private and government universities from all over the country in the spirit of fair play, friendship and top-caliber competition.
Through the years, the UNIGAMES has served as feeder four our different national teams representing the Philippines in the Olympics, the Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games and other international sports competitions. The 12 sports disciplines to be held in the said event are Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Chess, Football, Lawn Tennis, Sepak Takraw, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, and Beach Volleyball.
